Life After Death
by Neth Rana
Summary: After Majin Buu is defeated, Vegeta is determined to make his third chance at life his best. This is his and his family's story, set between the end of the Buu Saga and GT. Drama, Romance, Humor, Angst, depending on the chapter...but always Family.
1. Greatest Fear

"Thank you, Goku." Bulma gently hung up the phone, and looked out the kitchen window longingly. She looked up at the stars she and her prince had looked at together so many times before. She sighed. _Where are you, Vegeta? After everything we've been through…why won't you come home?_

Vegeta's muscles screamed at him, but he ignored them. Desperation filled his chest as he forced himself to continue with his pushups. _3012, 3013, 3014… _He had almost lost his family, and he would be damned if it was going to happen again. He knew his family wanted him home, not out in the middle of nowhere training. He knew Bulma was worried sick about him, begging him to simply use the gravity room instead. But he couldn't. He couldn't bear to be around them, couldn't stand to even look them in the eyes. He couldn't face them, and so he had escaped here, where he'd been training for the past three days. And he was going to continue training, maybe forever. He had been given yet another chance at life, and he knew he should be taking advantage of it. But his family was too much for him. He told himself it was because he couldn't admit to failing them. But deep down, he knew it was something greater…

He was approaching 4000, when he suddenly felt a great weight on top of him, and collapsed. The minute he heard that obnoxious laugh, he knew who it was. Groaning, Vegeta squirmed underneath him. "Get _off _of me, Kakarot, you big idiot!" Goku scrambled to his feet.

"Sorry, sorry! I was trying to sense your energy so I could transport here and I guess I was a little _too _accurate!" he said with a laugh. Vegeta rolled his eyes, getting to his feet.

"What do you want?" he mumbled. His body was screaming at him to sit down. Actually, it was screaming at him to _lay _down and go to sleep, but he ignored it. _Physical pain is a part of life, _he reminded himself for about the millionth time in his life. He shuddered when he realized it was Frieza that had told him that. Goku cocked his head to the side.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" he snapped. "Just answer my damn question, so I can get back to my training! Why the hell are you here?" Goku scratched the back of his head and looked down at his feet, lightly nudging a rock with his toe.

"I, um…Well…I wanted to make sure you were doing alright! I hadn't sensed your energy around lately, so I wondered how you were doing…" He looked up and smiled, feigned innocence painted on his face. Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"So the woman sent you here to talk to me?" he growled. _Typical, _that was just like Bulma! He had shut her out, so she sent the clown out to find him for her! It was infuriating. Goku's eyes widened. Either he was a terrible liar, or Vegeta and Bulma were _really _in synch with each other! All he could do was nod shamefully. "Well there's no need to worry. I'm fine, I'm training, Bulma and Trunks are alive, all is well." Considering that to be a sufficient answer, Vegeta pushed himself onto his hand for his handstand pushups, ignoring his body's disapproval.

"Vegeta…" The Prince's dark eyes narrowed. He stayed there, perfectly still, and completely upside down. Had it been anyone else, Goku would have laughed. But somehow, even though he was on his hands, Vegeta still managed to look as scary and intimidating as hell. Goku gulped, before continuing. "I'm not allowed to leave unless you come with me," he admitted. Vegeta crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Well that sucks for you then, doesn't it? Since I'm not going back."

"Vegeta, you belong with your family."

"I don't _belong _anywhere!" he snapped. Goku shook his head.

"Come on, that's not true, and you know it! How can you say that, after everything that's happened?"

"Shut up Kakarot."

"Vegeta…"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Bulma's worried sick about you! You died for her and Trunks, and the rest of Earth, and now you're trying to back pedal and say you don't belong with them? It doesn't make any sense!" He was started to get mad. How could he be so blind?

"I said shut _up!_" Goku's eyebrows furrowed as he crossed his arms in front of him, resembling the other Saiyan standing across from him.

"No! I'm not going to leave without you! Your family deserves for you to be home with them!"

"You don't know a _damn _thing about what my family deserves! My family _deserves _another idiot to stay with them, not myself." Goku frowned.

"That doesn't make sense, Vege-"

"Well of _course _it doesn't make sense to _you_, you idiot! You couldn't _possibly _understand what it means for me to go back to them! You have no idea how my current state only causes them even _more _pain!" Now Goku was just confused. His current state?

"I don't understand…"

"I should've _stayed_ dead!" he exploded. "Wouldn't life be better for them both without me? Wouldn't Trunks be better off without an asshole of a Father to disappoint him at every turn!? I wasn't there for the beginning of his life, which I'm sure he resents me for as much as I resent _my _Father for not being present for the end of mine!" He had lost all control of himself, the emotions he had held for his entire life pouring out of him. "I'm never going to _be_ the Dad that hugs his son and teaches him to fucking play football! I'm never going to be the Father that says the right thing at the right time! I'm never going to be the Father that he deserves!" There it was. It was out. The reason he never wanted a kid in the first place: He would never be enough. Bulma he could deceive, but a child…a child _knew_. Vegeta sure had. And he had sworn to himself ever since that he would _never _put a child through the same torture that his Father had put him through. The fact that he had broken that promise eight years ago had been hard enough, but watching it all come true and fall apart in front of him was almost too much to bear. His whole body shook as he clenched his hands into fists.

"Vegeta…" Goku whispered. Vegeta's head snapped around in horror. He had forgotten the idiot was even there, he had been so wrapped up in his anger! Now he had heard the whole damn thing and knew Vegeta's greatest fear, leaving him completely vulnerable. He squeezed his eyes shut, threw his head back, and screamed in frustration. The ground shook around him, his jet black hair giving way to golden, as he released his anger into the night. Minutes passed before he finally stopped. His arms fell to his sides, his hair returned to its original color, and he fell to his knees.

"He loves you Vegeta." Vegeta's eyes narrowed.

"He's an eight year old kid. He doesn't know what love _is_." He sighed bitterly. "And he sure as hell won't be able to learn from me."

"That's not tru-"

"He probably didn't even notice the difference when I died! Before the terror of Buu became a reality, it probably never even occurred to him that I wasn't around. His Mother was probably more upset than he was." Goku looked on at the Prince in shock. For someone who fought so hard for his pride, Vegeta really thought very poorly of himself. His self esteem was so low, he thought his own son didn't care when he had died! And yet…he had sacrificed himself anyway. Goku's eyebrows furrowed as he glared at Vegeta. How could he possibly think so little of himself?

"Well. I suppose that's why he balled his eyes out when he found out, then," Goku said sarcastically.

The look of shock in Vegeta's eyes sent a deep pain straight through Goku's heart. They weren't just words. Vegeta really believed the things he was saying…he really, truly believed that Trunks didn't care. And even worse, he believed that he didn't _deserve _his care! It was heartbreaking to Goku. Here he had just helped save the world from the greatest evil they had ever known, and yet he believed he didn't deserve his own son's love! Goku was suddenly more determined than ever. _No, my friend, _he thought. _I'm going to prove you wrong._

Vegeta shook his head. No, this was too much. The only thing worse than his son not caring about him, was his son caring about him. He knew anyone else would find him completely absurd, but it was the truth. Sure, it hurt him to think of Trunks not caring about him. But the alternative was worse. Vegeta knew he would never stand up to his expectations of him as a Father. No, it was better for him to not care, than to care and be subsequently crushed at Vegeta's lack of ability as a Father. Vegeta was used to pain. He could handle it. But his son…

"He was devastated, Vegeta. Of course he was. You're his idol! You're the man he looks up to. You're…his Father."

Vegeta looked away, trying to mask the pain rising up inside him. But Goku knew him better than that. After all the years they had spent fighting, fighting against each other, fighting with each other, and finally, fighting for each other, he had a learned a thing or two about Vegeta. He felt things deeply, and took things personally. He expected people to hurt him, and analyzed every situation to its fullest. He was a loner, determined to not make attachments and live his life in solitude. When he fought, he fought for himself. He was proud, strong, arrogant, and determined. And over the years he had spent on Earth, he had managed to keep almost all of his personality traits intact, save one. While he was still very solitary, spending large amounts of time alone or sitting in silence, Vegeta no longer fought for himself. He had proved that when he'd sacrificed himself fighting Majin Buu. He loved his family, and Goku knew it. But he also knew that Vegeta's greatest fear, even greater than someone hurting his family, was the fear that he would hurt them himself. Sympathy touched Goku's eyes as he looked at his friend's tortured face. He put his hand on Vegeta's shoulder in comfort, and was shocked to find that he didn't push it away.

"He cried very hard," Goku continued gently. "He kept insisting that no one could do that to you, that there was no way a 'stupid monster' could beat the Prince of all Saiyans."

Vegeta couldn't help the brief smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth. So his boy knew he was a prince, huh? Bulma must have told him. Typical woman, telling Trunks _his _business behind his back. Still, he couldn't help but feel pleased that his son knew at least a little bit of their heritage. Goku noticed and smiled.

"Vegeta…" The prince turned to look at him, his dark eyes betraying his true feelings. Silence filled the room as the two looked at each other. It was odd, really. Kakarot had been Vegeta's arch enemy, the person he envied and hated the most, for years. And yet, in some weird way, it suddenly felt as if he could trust him in a way that he couldn't trust anyone else. He was the only full-blooded Saiyan left, beside himself. He had a wife and a kid, just like him. He had surpassed him and shamed him, nearly destroyed him. But after all the evil things Vegeta had done, after all the pain he had caused and personal loathing he had shown him, here he was, trying to comfort Vegeta, explaining why he wasn't a terrible Father. Vegeta sighed, getting to his feet. Life had always been strange…his third chance was proving to be no different.

"So how did you teach him the technique then?" he asked, referring to the fusion technique. "If he was really _that _upset, I can't imagine the woman letting him, or the boy _wanting _to for that matter." Taking his hand off Vegeta's shoulder, Goku looked away, an embarrassed look on his face.

"I, uh…well…," he hesitated. "I…I was a bit harsh on him, honestly." Vegeta raised an eyebrow. He couldn't imagine Kakarot being any harsher on Trunks than he himself had been. "I yelled at him and Goten and told them to stop crying at once. I told them we didn't have time for them to be emotional and…and that that was enough and that they had to be serious and to stop crying immediately." He finished quickly. Goku took a deep breath and held it, waiting for Vegeta to yell at him. He expected him to call him a low class idiot or a circus clown who had no idea how to parent, and how dare he try to interfere and speak to his son that way? But instead, Vegeta crossed his arms and let a smile slide across his face.

"And tell me, Kakarot," he said in a low voice. "Did my son stop crying?" Goku raised his eyebrows, and nodded slowly, stunned.

"Uh, yeah he did, actually. It was really impressive, he just completely stopped! He took a deep breath and looked up at me with this really intense look in his eyes. His eyes were still full of pain, but he stared at me with such a determined ferocity, it was scary!" Vegeta raised an eyebrow.

"Scary?" he questioned.

"Well yeah! I mean, not because his willpower scared me or anything, but because…well honestly Vegeta, because he looked just like you!" he admitted.

Vegeta fought hard at the tears that were forming in his eyes. He had spent his entire existence trying to convince himself why he had to be alone. He had fought thousands of battles, both physical and emotional. He had worked so hard to make sure that he never had to deal with attachments like the ones that had scarred him so early on in his life. He had cursed the stars the day he found about Trunks, and only stuck around after Cell because he thought it would somehow hurt his son less. He had kept his distance, letting Bulma do the parenting, while he trained his son and told himself that was the only relationship he ever wished to have with the boy. He convinced himself that he wasn't attached to them, even let a freaking wizard take over his body to prove it! But he had failed. He hadn't fooled anyone, including himself. He loved his son and he couldn't hide it. A smirk pulled at his mouth as he noted that failing had never felt so good.

"Well of course he did," Vegeta sneered. "He _is _my son."


	2. Letting Go

Vegeta gently shut the window behind him. She had left it open for him. He knew it was for him because of the many arguments that had occurred over him leaving the window open at night. A Saiyan's body retained heat much better than a human's, and he was almost always hot. He smirked as he thought of her rolling her eyes after telling her if she was so cold, _he_ could keep her warm...He knew her opinion on the subject had not changed. And yet, she had left it open, should he decide to come home. He wondered if she had done so for the past three nights. He suspected she had.

Quietly, he walked over to her, standing above her sleeping figure. She looked so serene lying there like that. Her body was tangled in their sheets, all except for one of her small feet. Vegeta's heart ached for her, his body now demanding he lay down with her as much as his exhausted body did. Sighing, he pulled of his clothes off and lay down in his underwear next to her. He laid there for a long time, staring at the beautiful creature lying next to him. He wanted to reach out to her, to hold her, to finally shed the tears he had held back from Kakarot earlier. But something held him back, something always held him back. Sighing, he sat up and made his way to their bathroom.

Bulma slowly opened her eyes. She was still exhausted, but she could only seem to sleep a few hours at a time without Vegeta there. His absence was hard, but even worse was her worry for him. He hadn't even _tried_ to return home with them.

He had left the lookout alone, and she hadn't seen him since. He had been through so much...being possessed by Babidi, sacrificing himself and dying, coming back to life and fighting with Goku...She had expected him to be reluctant, but she really didn't think he would just leave. She shut her eyes, trying to will herself to go back to sleep and forget all of it for a few more hours, when she heard a noise. She gasped. She could hear the muffled sound of the shower coming from the bathroom…

Vegeta let the hot water beat against his swollen body. It slowly began to relax his tense muscles and his exhausted mind. For the first time in three days, he realized just how tired he truly was. An exhaustion like he had never felt before came over him. He let a long sigh escape his lips as he close his eyes. He faced the stream of water and let it beat against his chest and he felt himself relax even more in its rhythm. He finished washing up quickly, fatigue finally setting in to his bones. Climbing out of the shower, he quickly dried himself with his ki and the little bit of energy he had left. Pulling a towel around his waist, he opened the bathroom door to his room.

She was sitting straight up on the middle of their bed, legs crossed, with a sheet loosely wrapped around her shoulders. He froze the moment he saw her, taking in her unspeakable beauty. Her blue hair was messy from where she had been sleeping on it, and her face slightly flushed. Her body was small and thin, and yet she was so strong. She held herself proudly, something he'd always admired about her. But it was her eyes that struck him the most. The deepest shade of blue one could possibly imagine shone back at his dark onyx ones. They held a mixture of emotions; fear, exhaustion, sorrow, joy…His heart pounded in his chest and he wondered how he had ever thought being away from her was the right choice. Her eyes consumed him and he felt like he stood there for an entire lifetime, losing himself in them.

Bulma took in a deep breath as soon as Vegeta walked into their room. She was always taken by how…_beautifu_l he was. She always thought her mind remembered him clearly, until she saw him in the flesh. He was even more perfect than her mind could seem to understand. Vegeta's body was smooth and brilliantly sculpted, though he was currently tense in anticipation, his fists tightly clenched by his side. His body was so strong and muscular, and yet he was so delicate. He had endured so much in his life, something she had always admired about him. But of course, it was his eyes that captivated her. They were as dark as the night that surrounded them, a deep contrast to her simple blue. They seemed to scream all the words he hadn't said. They told her of his fear, of his shame…of his anger, and of his sorrow. They whispered his lifetime of pain and solitude to her, and she understood. She sat in silence, drinking him in, committing him to her memory, before she finally spoke.

"Vegeta…"she whispered. With speed she couldn't detect, he was suddenly in bed with her. He sat on his knees facing her and with trembling hands, slowly reached up and touched her cheek. He caressed it gently, thinking of all the times he had wanted to do so and pushed it away. Bulma stared at him. He looked so sad stroking her face like that, almost as if he was…_afraid_. Her eyes softened in realization. That was it. That was what it had always been. He had been afraid of getting close to her, scared of what that might mean. He had been afraid of making attachments, because the first ones he had ever made in his life had been ripped away. And now he had run away this time as well, because he had been afraid. She titled her head slightly to the side and looked into his eyes. She knew better than to ask him things head on, but she couldn't help it. The words left her mouth before she could stop them. "You were afraid."

How this woman could always manage to read him, he would never understand. It usually irritated him. But in this moment, he was thankful for it. It was easier for to hear it than to have to admit it. Dropping his eyes in shame, he nodded silently. He could suddenly feel his heart speed up and his body began to tremble. Emotions seemed to bang on his insides, demanding to be let out. _Just tell her,_ they whispered. _Tell her the truth. _Forcing himself to look back at her, he took in a deep breath.

"I still am."

Everything came rising to the surface, and this time he didn't stop it. He wasn't sure if he could have anyway. His body was so tired and his heart was aching. Vegeta let his head fall onto Bulma's shoulder, and the Prince of all Saiyans, finally let it go. The tears fell so easily and his entire body shook as sobs escaped his mouth. Every fear, every disappointment, every moment of despair came rising to the surface. His resentment towards his Father, his anger towards Frieza, his frustration towards Kakarot, his fear towards Trunks, his desperation towards Babidi, and sorrow for it all spilled out of him. Bulma wrapped her arms around him and cradled him in her arms. She held him for a while before she gently pulled him down onto the bed. She wrapped her entire body around him and held him for hours as he cried, silent tears sliding down her own cheeks at her Prince's despair.

He fell asleep like that, in her arms. After three days of relentless training and no rest, his body finally gave way to the exhaustion plaguing him and fell into a deep sleep. No nightmares haunted him that night, for the first time in years. He felt safe, lying there in her arms. Bulma watched him drift into slumber, as a small smile spread across her face. She lay awake for a long time, never letting him go.


	3. Like Father, Like Son

**O/C: Thank you so much to everyone who has read and left comments! I am so excited people are actually following this! :) Sorry it's been a bit emotional, but I picked an emotional time, for Vegeta, to start writing at. Anyways, this one is too, but not to worry! Soon Vegeta will be back to his usual crass, sarcastic self. (But with a little more love.) :P**

Bulma pulled her hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a thick black band. She stifled a yawn as she looked over at the man sleeping in her bed. On the rare occasion that she got up first, he usually woke up when she did, sensing her energy change. Even if he went right back to sleep, over the years she realized that when she woke up, so did he. But today was different; today, he didn't move. She would've wondered if he was even alive if it weren't for his soft snores and occasional grunts.

It had taken her a while after he had fallen asleep for her to. A thousand emotions surged through her, seeing Vegeta in such a vulnerable state. Her heart ached for him to the point where she swore she could actually _feel _his pain with him. But a large part of what she felt was anger. Not towards him, but all the people who had disregarded him in his life. All the people who had thought of him as nothing, as a lost cause. They had fueled his fire, prolonged his healing, given him confirmation of his belief that he was better off alone. It infuriated her. But she couldn't dwell on it. She had to push on. He had done it. He had shown her his true heart. For the first time in their relationship, and probably in his life, he had been completely open and vulnerable. She smiled to herself as she thought of how proud she was of him.

Yawning again, Bulma knew she would never make it through the day if she didn't make some coffee. Gently closing the door behind her, Bulma stepped out into the hallway, and nearly stepped on her son. Sprawled out on the floor was Trunks, wrapped up in a sheet he had obviously dragged from his bedroom. His arms and legs stuck out in different directions and his heavy breathing mirrored his father's in the other room. She sighed. _What is he doing out here? _She wondered. She glanced at her watch. 10:08 am. Usually she would've woken him up about an hour ago. Normally, _she _would've been up a _couple_ hours ago. And Vegeta would've beaten them all, rising before the sun did. But today was different. Kneeling down, Bulma began to rub his back.

"Trunks, sweetie…you're in the hallway, honey." She got a grunt in response. "Trunks, you need to get up. You can still sleep, but you need to go back to your room, sweetheart." Two tired eyes begrudgingly opened and squinted up at her. Bulma waited for the protests and the crazy story her eight year old son was about to give her, explaining exactly what he was doing asleep in their hallway at ten in the morning. But instead, his eyes seemed to want to fill with tears. Even though he was half asleep, something seemed to be deeply troubling. "Trunks…"

"I know he's here." He said simply. "I felt him, I sensed his energy. I know he's here and he didn't even try to come say hi to me or anything and now he must be hiding in there because he hates me," he poured out. Bulma looked at him, confused, and sighed. Apparently paranoia ran in the family.

"Trunks," she said gently. "Your father doesn't hate you, honey. He was exhausted when he got in last night and he went right to sleep! He barely even said a word to me." She hated lying to him, but she knew better than to even _mention_ Vegeta's emotional breakdown to anyone, _especially _their son. Trunks seemed to digest her words before nodding slowly.

"Oh. Ok, well…um.." he looked away sheepishly. "Can I uh...just stay here? Until he wakes up?" Bulma smiled and sighed.

"Alright, I suppose so. But don't you come crying to me if he comes out here and accidentally steps on you." She winked, before making her way downstairs. Trunks smiled as his mother left. She could be irritating, but she was the perfect Mom in his eyes. He had always seen his family as a little dysfunctional, sometimes even wishing he had different parents. But after everything that had happened with Majin Buu, Trunks had found a new appreciation for his odd family. No matter how weird they were. Smiling to himself, Trunks curled up in his sheet, and fell back into a deep sleep.

Vegeta slowly opened his eyes, sunlight pouring in from the window to their balcony. He normally would have been up hours ago, but for once, today he didn't care. He pushed himself up off of the bed and smirked. Bulma had been so sweet, tiptoeing around the room, trying not to wake him. She had realized that he woke up with her a long time ago, but apparently today she thought he was too tired. He shook his head. Like he would ever be too tired to make sure she was safe. He had felt a change in the energy, and he woke up. Pulling on shorts, he opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway.

Silently, he looked down at his son who was fast asleep. He hadn't heard what he was saying to Bulma, but he had felt his energy when he'd woken up. Trunks had never slept in the hallway before. He always went on and on about how comfortable his bed was. The only reason he could've been out here…Vegeta couldn't stop the smile that pulled at his lips. Maybe Kakarot was right. _For once in his life,_ Vegeta added to himself, his smile growing with no hint of hostility in his eyes.

In one swift movement, Vegeta bent down and scooped his son up into his arms. Instead of making his way down the wall, he turned around and walked back into him and Bulma's room, closing the door behind him. He gently laid Trunks down on Bulma's side of the bed, and crawled in next to him on his own side. Vegeta laid there watching him sleep for some time, before Trunks wearily opened his eyes. A look of shock crossed over them, before quickly turning to joy.

"Dad?" he whispered. Vegeta smiled. Trunks returned the smile, but hesitated. Every fiber of his being wanted to jump on his Father and hug him tightly, but he didn't want to look like a child. _Especially _in front of his Father. Plus, he knew his Dad wasn't big on affection, and probably wouldn't be too thrilled about him jumping all over him. His smile faltered as he nodded. "Hey," he said, trying to sound tough. He wondered how he had ended up in bed with his Father in the first place. It had to be his mother. Who else would carry him in here? Vegeta sighed, knowing his son's hesitation was a product of his own reluctance to show affection in the past. He began to curse himself inside, when he stopped himself. No point in hating himself for the past. All he could do was try to change now, in the present. He looked directly at his son.

"Hey? That's all I get? Just hey? Humph. I thought for _sure_ that _my _son, the son of a _Prince, _could come up with a better greeting than _that_." He raised an eyebrow and a huge grin broke across Trunks's face. He managed to contain himself for another moment to ask an important question.

"Can...can I hug you?" Vegeta wondered how on _Earth, _how in the name of Kami and all the galaxies of the universe, he had gotten so damn lucky. But he supposed it was better not to question it, lest it should go away.

"Son, if you _don't_, then you will force me to use my incredible Saiyan powers to tackle you, and do it myself." That was all Trunks needed to hear. He tackled his Father and wrapped his arms around him, not caring if he looked like a baby. He could feel tears sting his eyes, as all the emotions from losing his Father came back to him. He wouldn't let them fall, but they were there, pooling up in his eyes. Vegeta held his son close to him, recognizing and memorizing every single second of it. Yes, this was his son. His son, who had won the World Martial Art's Tournament, beating Kakarot's boy. His son, who had put his grief behind him and forced himself to train to fight Majin Buu. His son, who had fused with Kakarot's boy and surpassed even him and become a Super Saiyan 3. _His _son..

Like father, like son, Vegeta was holding back his own tears. Pulling Trunks closer, he silently thanked the stars, wondering how such a desperate, broken man could've possibly gotten so lucky.


	4. A Much Needed Rest

Bulma stirred her coffee aimlessly, wondering why she had even bothered getting up in the first place. She should've just stayed in bed. That's where her boys were! Well, one was in the hallway, but still. They were both asleep, which is where she wanted to be. She couldn't remember that last time she had had a peaceful night of sleep. Trunks and Vegeta both had been so freaking excited and anxious about the Martial Art's Tournament, they had stayed up late hours training, and she couldn't sleep without them both safely inside. Especially Trunks. She was used to Vegeta staying out late, but not so much with her baby boy.

After that, there had been so much stress and worry over Majin Buu. And then she had found out about Vegeta…after that, she had died at the hands of Buu as well. But she hadn't even gotten to sleep in heaven! She was too busy helping Chi Chi try to find Gohan, when he ended up not even being dead in the first place! Then as soon as they were wished back to life and everything was supposed to go back to normal, Vegeta had taken off for three days. She couldn't sleep without him next to her, and she shuddered to think that she had almost lost him for good. Now that it was all in the past, her body was exhausted. Sighing, she dumped her now cold coffee down the drain, laid her cup in the sink, and dragged herself upstairs.

She had expected to find her son still curled up on the floor, but he was nowhere to be found. _Must've finally gone back to his room, _she thought. Either that, or Vegeta had woken up. She scowled at the thought of him being awake without even saying hello to her! And after everything from the night before! That man was going to be the death of her. Irritated, she swung open the door, and froze. Laid out in front of her was the sweetest scene she had ever seen in her life. Vegeta was laying on his back, his head turned towards her and his arm at an angle towards his face. His eyes were closed and he looked at complete peace as he took in the deep breaths of sleep. Lying on his chest was their son. He had grown up so much after everything that had happened, but he looked so small next to his Father's muscular figure. His arms were wrapped halfway around Vegeta's stomach, as if he had fallen asleep mid hug. Bulma couldn't help but feel tears sting her eyes.

When Goku told her Vegeta was dead, she could have sworn that her heart died with him. Despite what she had seen at the stadium where he'd killed all those people, she was still deeply in love with him. He was the epitome of strength to her. He could snap her like a twig, and yet he took such care with her. He was so gentle, and yet in such a strong way. The minute he felt she was upset, he was there. He was always on the lookout, always ready to attack anyone that even _thought _about threatening her. He could take on anyone; destroy anyone that stood in his way. She even secretly thought that he could defeat Goku, if for some reason he ever attacked her. He was so powerful, and yet that evil monster had crushed him like he was nothing. She shook her head sadly at the had found herself wanting…to join him. Her immediate reaction when Goku told her was "_take me too." _She wanted to be with him, even if it meant giving up her life. She almost couldn't bare it when she realized that he…might not have gone to the same place as her when he passed.

He had changed so much. The hot, arrogant man that she had met on Namek and allowed to live in her house before the androids came had been replaced by a kinder, gentler man. (Though the arrogance was still there, for sure.) She smirked as she thought of it. He had changed so much. His heart had learned to feel, to _love._ But she wasn't sure if that was enough to replace all the bad things he had done in his life. He done terrible things, killed so many, and destroyed entire races! She shook her head. No, _Frieza's _Vegeta had done those things. He had brain washed her prince and turned his heart to stone so that he didn't care. But _her _Vegeta, he was different. Still, she wasn't sure if the universe would see it the same way. But the thought of him in hell was almost too much to take.

If it hadn't been for Trunks, she wasn't sure she would've made it through that brief period. She knew she couldn't die, she knew she had to stay on Earth and take care of their son. She smiled as she thought of the stubborn, determined look on his face when they started to learn the fusion technique. She knew he was devastated by the death of his Father, but he forced the emotion away to deal with the task at hand. He sacrificed his emotion for a chance to save the world. He was just a boy, and yet he had been so strong. _Just like his Father, _Bulma thought. Yes, the two were so much alike. And here they were, together, sleeping, finally getting the rest they deserved.

Bulma gently pulled the covers over the two, right up to Trunks' neck, before climbing in next to them. The huge bed easily accommodated the three of them, but they hadn't slept like this together since Trunks was very small. Bulma lay on her side, facing them, not able to take her eyes off of them. Her body was yearning for sleep, but eyes were transfixed on her boys. She almost jumped in surprised when Vegeta slowly opened his eyes.

He stared at her, but didn't move. She smiled, knowing he didn't want to wake Trunks up. He continued to look at her. Bulma raised her eyebrows questioningly, wishing she could read his mind. In response, all she got were his dark eyes staring into hers. But it wasn't his usual icy stare; there was no scowl on his face. It didn't seem to hold any pain or any sorrow. There was no anger or bitterness in his eyes, no tension in his face. He simply laid there, watching her. They laid like that for a long time, before the corners of his mouth started to curve upward.

Vegeta broke into a smile, nothing but pure joy on his face. He reached his hand out to her, and she took it in her own. Her brought it to his lips and kissed it gently, moving slowly so he wouldn't wake their sleeping son. Bulma returned his smile with her own and squeezed his hand in response. Her body finally relaxed, her mind suddenly feeling tired and foggy. Vegeta stroked her hand with his thumb, as if reading her mind. She slowly drifted into sleep, her smile never leaving her face. Vegeta's eyes gently closed, following her into a world of dreams. The three of them slept like that for the rest of the day, and through the night. It was an important moment, one they would all remember for years to come, a cherished memory. It was the moment when they went from being a man and a woman with a son, to being a family.


	5. Family Feud

"Please, Vegeta...he needs this from you." Bulma's crystal blue eyes stared into his pleadingly, much to his dismay. He had never been good at saying no to her, especially with that look on her face, and the condition seemed to worsen the older he got. He sighed irritably.

"What the hell am I supposed to say, Bulma? Hey, sorry I died, I'll try not to do it again." Bulma glared at him. She was not in the mood for his sarcasm.

"_No_, that's not what you're going to say!" She exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, her silent way of telling him that he was fucked. (And not in the good way.) "Your _son_ doesn't understand how or WHY you died! He doesn't understand why his Father let some _wizard _take over him! He's just a kid! He _needs_ you to talk to him!"

"My _son_ is a lot smarter than you give him credit for, woman! He has MY blood flowing through his veins! He knows what the hell happened and he doesn't need me to remind him!" He looked away angrily. "I'm not going to keep reminding him of what a failure his father is." Bulma's eyes softened.

"Vegeta, Trunks doesn't think you're a failure, he just doesn't understa-"

"Don't insult my son's intelligence, woman! He has SAIYAN blood in him, he has a

Saiyan's mind! He may be a child, but he's smarter than the likes of _you_!" Bulma's eyes narrowed. She knew Vegeta was just falling back on his anger because he didn't know what else to do in the situation, but it didn't matter. Right now, it just pissed her off.

"Ughh, you and your damn pride! I know _OUR_ son is smart, Vegeta! But you are his FATHER! If you're going to stick around, then you need to talk to him!"

"I will talk to my son if I fucking want to, and that is the END of this blasted conversation!" Vegeta turned and stomped out of the room. On his way, he angrily called over his shoulder, "And Trunks, if you're going to eavesdrop on me and your Mother, at least hide your damn ki so I can't sense you!" He stomped up the stairs, muttering something about telling the woman his son was smart and he couldn't even think to hide his ki.

The color drained from Bulma's face. She glared over at the door as Trunks sheepishly stepped in the room. His face was flushed with embarrassment, but he couldn't hide the smile that was on his face. He _had_ hid his ki...that is, until his Father stood up for him to his Mom. Being the son of two of the biggest egos on planet Earth, his pride couldn't help but swell under his Father's compliments. Unfortunately, his ki had swelled with it. He had thought his Dad was too mad to sense it, but he should've known better. Bulma's eyes narrowed.

"Trunks Vegeta Briefs, WHAT have I told you about eavesdropping?" Trunks shrugged, irritated that his Mother's wrath was now directed at him.

"Not to do it?"

"So _why_ did you?"

"Come on Mom, it's not that big of a deal. Don't get your panties in a bunch." Bulma's eyes widened. "I mean, it's hard _not _to hear you two when you fight, screaming like banshees..." he muttered.

"UGHH! You are _just_ like your Father! Why don't you let _him _deal with you, huh? Maybe he knows how to deal with hard headed Saiyans that don't listen, since he _is _one! Ugh, I don't have time for this! I should've known you were going to end up like him, even after all my efforts to raise you to be a good kid…" Bulma kept going on and on as Trunks quietly slipped away. He couldn't help but smile. His Mom had said he was like his Father. And he definitely took that as a compliment. Bounding up the stairs, Trunks ran to his parents' room. He stood there for a moment before hesitantly knocking on the door. It immediately swung open, revealing his irritated Father. His stare was so intense; his eyes seemed to pierce right through Trunks. He was beginning to second guess knocking on his Father's door, but it was too late now.

It had been about two weeks since his Father had finally come home, and things had started to change around the Briefs house, for the better. His Dad had been around before, but he hardly ever spoke to anyone. The first years of Trunks's life were dominated by his Mother, with the occasional appearance of his Father, scowling and refusing to look at him. It wasn't until he got older that his Father showed him any attention at all, but even then, it was usually in the privacy of the gravity room, where he would train Trunks. Those memories were golden to the young boy. His Father had taught him everything he knew. It became his goal in life to make his Father proud. He trained with a diligence and intensity that surpassed his age. He told himself that it was part of being Saiyan, the desire to be stronger, even if he was only half of one. But deep down, he knew he also wanted to spend time with his Father.

It took years, but as time went on, his Dad seemed to relax around him. He was still intimidating as ever, and spent a lot of time standing in the background. But when they were training, something about their dynamic had changed. It wasn't as…awkward as it had been in the past. His Father talked to him more, even looked him in the eye! Trunks was only six at the time, but he recognized the difference. How could he not? He admired his Father, though he tried not to show it. His Mother had told him stories of how his Dad was one of the strongest fighters in the universe. Goten always tried to convince him that _his _Dad was stronger, but Trunks knew the truth. He knew his Father could never be beaten. Or at least, that's what he'd thought, until the whole Buu mess…

His Father cleared his throat, pulling Trunks out of his thoughts. He shook his head, trying to clear the depressing memories from his mind. He looked up into his Dad's hard eyes. It was weird, but he had always noticed that his Father and Mother's eyes were completely different. The colors were complete opposites, but there was more than just that. His Mom's eyes were big and inviting, oozing with kindness and joy. Even when she was mad, her eyes betrayed her love. But his Father's eyes were…hard. Dark. Penetrating. And completely _impossible _to read. He knew now, more than ever, that his Father cared about him. But he'd be damned if he ever saw it in those dark, mysterious eyes. He wondered which of his parents' eyes he'd inherited.

"If you don't tell me in the next five seconds what the hell you want, I'm going to throw you downstairs and leave you at the mercy of your Mother." Trunks's eyes widened. They could both still hear her ranting downstairs.

"Uh…well, Mom said _you_ had to deal with me 'cause umm…something about how you're just like me, or I'm just like you, and uh, I think maybe she thinks that's bad?" He shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. This was going to go one of two ways. Either his Dad would agree with his Mom, in which case he was screwed. Or, his Dad would tell Trunks his Mother was an idiot, and he would be let off the hook. He was praying for the second one, when his Father sighed.

"Come inside," he grumbled, walking into the room. Trunks gulped and slowly followed him, closing the door behind them. It wasn't looking good.

Vegeta turned to look at his son. He smirked, knowing his son was wondering what kind of torture was about to befall him. It amused him that Trunks was still kind of scared of him. If he had realized that Vegeta would never intentionally hurt him, there was no telling what shit the kid would get into. But he secretly took pride in knowing that it was just a fear based off his threats, not his actions. The worst thing Vegeta had done to his son was not be there for him. He knew it wasn't the best thing for him, it could've even been damaging. But not near as much as the hell he had been through as a kid. By the time he was Trunks's age, he had already destroyed at least five planets. He received daily beatings from Frieza and his men, and life for him was a constant state of overwhelming fear. The hard man that no longer showed emotions was not yet born so early on in his life. He had been as innocent as Trunks at one time. Vegeta had made it his life goal to make sure the same innocence wasn't stolen from his own son, even if that meant just watching, guarding from the sidelines. The fact that everything had happened with Buu anyway infuriated him. He sighed. How on Earth was he supposed to explain all this to Trunks?

The woman demanded he explain it to him, but she never told him _how_. _She _was the one who was good with words, not him. Bulma overreacted to everything, and never thought before she did something. With her, you got her immediate reaction, pure and full of emotion. She told you _exactly_ what she thought, and she was good at articulating it. He was the exact opposite. He over thought and overanalyzed _everything_. He took apart every detail, searched for any and every ulterior motive. His words were few, short, and to the point. He was better at _doing_ things than he was explaining them. He looked at his son, thinking that it should've been Bulma, not him, having this conversation.

"Dad, I'm sorry I was eavesdropping. I mean, I really didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Well, I really didn't think I would get caught either…but I mean, I should've known since you're _obviously _stronger and smarter than me and stuff…" Vegeta raised an amused eyebrow. His son was smart, already picking up on the benefits of stroking his parents' egos. "Of course you were gonna notice I was there. I didn't even hear anything important, just about how Mom thought you should talk to me about something and you didn't want to, but she had that determined look and stuff and - oh." Trunks stopped in realization. He looked at his Father and blushed. "You…don't care about me hiding, do you?" Vegeta's eyes glinted as a dangerous smile played at the corner of his mouth.

"If I did, do you think you would still be standing here, breathing?" Trunks gulped and quickly shook his head, dread suddenly filling him. His Dad needed to talk to him about something, something he didn't want to talk to him about. His Mom was making him, which must've meant it was important. To say his Father was stubborn was an understatement, and if he didn't want to talk about something, it wasn't talked about. The fact that he was going to anyway, meant that it was important. Trunks grimaced.

"You know Dad, we can just tell Mom you talked to me and train instead. She can't sense ki, she wouldn't know." Vegeta raised an eyebrow.

"You think lying to your Mother is a good idea?" Trunks's frown deepened, the truth settling in. His Mother was completely human, one hundred percent from Earth. She possessed no super powers like he or his Dad. And yet, she could somehow smell a lie a thousand miles away. No, it was no use. They were going to have to talk, whatever it was about. Surrendering, Trunks sat down on his parents' bed and crossed his legs, trying to prepare for whatever his Father was about to tell him. Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, before turning to face him.

"What do you know about my fight with Majin Buu?"


	6. Life Lessons

Trunks felt his stomach drop. Ever since his Father had come home, he'd tried really hard to push any thoughts of Majin Buu away. He told himself that it was in the past, everything was okay now, and there was no reason for him to worry. He was usually successful too, except for the nightmares. They didn't come every time he went to sleep, but when they did, they were so intense, he almost always woke up screaming. Sometimes his Mother heard him, and sometimes she didn't. He would usually wake up shaking, his ki raised extremely high for being asleep. They had calmed down some since his Father had come home, but he still had them. It was difficult enough to deal with the dreams of his Father's death. He _really _didn't want to deal with the memories when he was awake.

But he _had_ always wondered if his Dad felt the same way. Did he toss and turn at night over the memories? Did he fear sleep like Trunks over reawakening them? Did he think about them during the day, did they try to consume his mind? Trunks had finally convinced himself that his Father was just mentally stronger than him. He had seen more horrors in his life, and what happened with Buu was just another one for him to push away. He told himself his Dad didn't worry about them. But here he was, bringing up the subject. Either this was punishment for what he'd said to his Mom earlier, or…his Father thought about it too. He looked up at him tentatively.

"Umm…" He shrugged. "Well, er, _Kakarot_ told us-" Vegeta smirked.

"You may call him whatever name you want, son. His Saiyan name, his Earth name, or any other, ahem, _creative_ names you'd like." His smirk widened as he subtly encouraged his son to mock his Saiyan comrade. Trunks smiled, but it didn't ease the feeling in his stomach. His Father was being really nice, in his own way, and that worried him. Was he about to tell him something really bad? Did he think Trunks was mad at him for dying? What was going on? Vegeta sensed his discomfort and sighed, his mouth dropping back to its usual scowl. "Continue Trunks," he commanded. His son nodded.

"Goku told us that you and Gohan were…were dead," he said softly. "I didn't know how or what happened or anything, just that Buu had…had…"

"Had killed me," Vegeta said gently. Trunks looked up at him and nodded. Had he not had the blood of the two most stubborn people in the universe flowing through his veins, he would have been a blubbering mess. But his pride would not allow it. He would not cry. _Especially _in front of his Father. He forced himself to continue.

"Yes," he answered curtly. Vegeta raised his eyebrows and waited for his son to continue. When he did not, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"And you were then relieved to know that you no longer had to endure my demands?" Vegeta ventured. He knew it wasn't true. Kakarot was an idiot, but he wasn't a liar. He would shoot straight with him. If he said his son had been upset over his death, than he had been upset. But Trunks didn't know of his conversation with the clown. That was proved by the boy's widening eyes.

"I…I what? N..no Dad. I was…I mean. I mean, I was really…" Vegeta waited patiently as Trunks took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "I was sad that you were gone," he finally muttered. Vegeta nodded. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them, though it was full of understanding. Vegeta knew all too well what it was like to lose a Father, and even more so how difficult it was to admit to the emotions it caused. He had only just recently allowed himself to realize how devastating it had been when Frieza had killed the Saiyan King. It was what started his cycle of destruction, the first thing he had ever repressed and sworn to never let out again. It was what began his ability to become numb to anything and everything around him. It was the beginning of his hell, and he would be damned if he let his son suffer the same fate.

As much as he hated to admit it, the woman was right. Trunks needed to talk; he needed to let his emotions out. But Vegeta wouldn't force it. He would wait patiently, and give his son the time he needed to process it. He _was_ his son, so it was pretty likely that Trunks hadn't even allowed himself to _think _about what had happened with Buu, much less talk about it. And so the silence went on, lasting for about fifteen minutes, before he finally continued.

"He wouldn't let me cry," he whispered. "You were gone, but Buu was still alive, and Goku had to leave. We had to beat him, me and Goten. We had to learn to fuse and so he said we had to stop crying, so I did. I was going to kill him, Dad! I was going to kill him for you!" His emotions were starting to rise, as was his voice. "Me and Goten, we were gonna fuse and be so powerful and kill him for you and Gohan! And then we could've just wished you back with the dragon balls! But we couldn't do it! We weren't strong enough!" Trunks slammed his fists down on his knees in frustration. Streams of water and salt threatened to spill from his eyes, but he bit them back, determined to keep his composure as best as he could. "We tried…I tried so hard…I tried so hard to avenge you…" Vegeta walked over to his son who sat on the edge of his and Bulma's bed looking down at his hands. He crouched down so that he was eye level with Trunks.

"I know, son. I know you did. Kakarot told me how bravely you fought. You have the pride of a true Saiyan, Trunks. You proved your honor as a warrior. And I am so proud of you." Trunks looked up at him when he heard the words his Father had told him right before he'd knocked him out. Right before he'd gone to fight Buu. Right before…he'd died.

All the emotions came roaring back and slammed into him like a ton of bricks. A single tear escaped his blue eyes, and ran down his face. Vegeta smiled gently as he looked into his son's eyes. They were the same as his Mother's. "You were robbed of your time to grieve because you had to try to do what I could not. You had to be brave, and you were, and I am so proud of you for that. But the time has passed, Trunks. You did what you had to do. It's time to allow yourself to mourn." Trunks looked up at his Father, shocked. He had _always_ told him not to cry, that tears were for the weak! But here he was, telling him the complete opposite! It made no sense. Trunks shook his head stubbornly, hoping the quick movements would shake all the tears out of his eyes. He thought it had worked, until his Father proved he was not finished surprising him. Vegeta gently pulled his son into a hug.

"Don't be like me, son," he whispered. "Don't make yourself numb to it all. Don't live your life suffering, don't fill yourself with hate. Let it go." Any resistance that Trunks had left quickly melted away with his Father's words. The tears he had so desperately held back spilled from his eyes and sobs escaped his mouth. For the first time in his life, he allowed himself to be an eight year old kid, and let his emotions free. He didn't know what his Father had been through in his past, just that it had been bad. His Mother had told him that his Father had suffered through more pain than any of them could understand. But when Trunks had asked her to elaborate, she had simply shook her head, telling him that that was his Father's story to share, not hers. He still didn't know the details of it all, but he felt the pain and warning in his Father's words. _Don't be like me. _Trunks hugged his Father back, gripping tightly.

"But I want to be," he whispered. "I want to be just like you, Dad. You're always so strong and calm. You don't let stupid emotions bother you, you don't let yourself be weak and cry." Trunks lost himself to his tears again, and continued to sob. He tried to burry himself into his Father's chest, but Vegeta pulled him away and looked Trunks straight in the eye. He looked serious, but the pain that had been behind his words was now reflected in his onyx eyes. They were so dark, like black holes that went on forever in a pit of anguish.

"It is okay to want to be strong, Trunks. It is okay not to cry over little things that happen, things you cannot control. It is okay to be able to keep your composure and push through when it's necessary. But pain is not a weakness, Trunks. It has taken me many years, and three chances at life, to finally understand that. It is okay to admit to being upset. Do not be ashamed of the sorrow you felt when I died. I do not wish for you to live the same life that I have. I lost my parents when I was younger than you, and had to figure things out on my own. I lived a miserable existence for many years. I was lucky enough to finally find someone to teach this to me. So now I will teach it to you."

Trunks cried for a good hour before he finally started to calm down. His Father held him the whole time, longer than he had held Trunks in his entire life. It was a bit ironic, really, that his son was crying in his arms over his death that no longer existed. But the pain was still rooted deep inside the young boy, and Vegeta was willing to wait for however long it took for him to let it out. When he finally did calm down, he gently pulled himself free from his Father's grip.

"Dad?"

"Hn?"

"Will…you tell me more?"

"About..?"

"About your life…your three lives? I didn't know you had died before…" Vegeta smiled.

"Not tonight, son. It's getting late and you need to go to bed." As if on cue, Trunks yawned. He smiled sheepishly and nodded. He usually resisted bedtime, but he was exhausted. Apparently crying really wore you out, half Saiyan or not. He pushed himself up off of the bed and walked towards the door. He was about to walk out, when he stopped and looked back at his Father.

"Dad?"

"Hn?"

"Thanks for, uh, teaching me that lesson I guess. But I was wondering…"

"Hn?"

"Who was the one that taught it to you?" Vegeta smiled as her face filled his mind.

"Your Mother."


	7. Anymore

_O/C: Thank you SO much to everyone for your support! Your reviews mean so much to me, they really make my day! Please continue to follow my story and review it. Thanks again guys, hope you enjoy! _

Vegeta quietly walked down the stairs. It had been about half an hour since Trunks had gone to bed. Vegeta had sat thinking for a long time before making his way downstairs to find his mate. He couldn't help but smile when he saw her. She was in the living room, laying on the couch reading. Her face had changed since the first time he'd met her. Her hair was shorter and there were a few lines starting to show on her face. She hated them and so he would never bring them up, but he secretly thought they were beautiful. They showed time, wisdom. To him, she was just as beautiful and radiant as ever. She looked up from her book when she heard him behind her, and smiled. He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm guessing Trunks told you that we talked, seeing as you're no longer angry at me?" Bulma chuckled as she stuck at bookmark in her page and closed the book.

"He said he had the coolest Dad ever." Vegeta scoffed. Leave it to his crazy biased son to say such a thing. Bulma smiled. "I agree," she added. Vegeta walked to the other side of the couch and sat down. Bulma put her feet in his lap and sighed contently as he began to rub them. After a while he stopped, and merely sat, lost in thought. Bulma watched his face, wondering if she should bring up the topic that was weighing heavily on her heart. But his face showed no sign of what he was thinking. Taking a deep breath, she decided to go for it.

She sat up and moved closer to Vegeta. She ran her fingers through his hair and smiled when she felt a small growl from his chest. She moved lower, tracing the outline of his neck and shoulder, and moved down his muscular arm. She ended at his hand, which she took in her own. He looked at her curiously, knowing she was up to something. He raised an eyebrow in inquiry and her smile grew wider. She loved how they could have a conversation without either of them saying a word. But his question needed an answer; an answer spoken out loud. _Here goes nothing._

"Vegeta...Trunks didn't mention anything about you…becoming Majin." Vegeta frowned. He knew this was going to come up. "Did you tell him?" Vegeta felt a pang run through his chest, which he had learned was called 'guilt.' It was an emotion he'd never experienced before he came to Earth, and he still wasn't entirely used to it. When he had allowed himself to be taken under Babidi's magic, he had only been thinking of himself. His desperation to cling to the only thing he'd ever known took over, and in that moment he had been willing to sacrifice anything, even his family. He was ashamed.

His family deserved more than that, and he knew it. And so he had fought Majin Buu, planning to defeat him and try to make everything right again. When he realized his fighting strength alone wasn't enough, he'd decided to sacrifice himself to defeat Buu. Suddenly his mind was in the opposite place. He had only been thinking of keeping his family safe, without a second thought for himself. But that didn't change the fact that he'd welcomed the evil back into his heart beforehand.

Quicker than her eyes could see, Bulma was suddenly on Vegeta's lap. His arms were around her waist, and his head was buried in her chest. She smiled and ran her hands through his hair. Nights that took this kind of a turn usually ended in heated passion. But tonight was different, and somehow they both knew it. They both just wanted to be, together. They sat like that for a while before Vegeta finally lifted his head and onyx met bright blue. He sat in silence for a few moments before shaking his head. Bulma sighed.

"Sweetie, I know it's hard…but he deserves to know."

"I _know _that, Bulma," Vegeta snapped, removing his hand from hers. He didn't mean to be harsh, but he couldn't help it. He had spent years guarding his emotions by being brash, and it was a difficult habit to break, even with Bulma. He crossed his arms over his chest, which looked funny with Bulma still sitting on his lap. Another defense mechanism that he subconsciously always did. He glared at her, his body language loudly telling her that he was finished with the conversation. Bulma, however, was not.

"Look, Vegeta, I _know _you know that, and I _know _it's hard, but you _have _to do it."

"What am I supposed to say, Bulma? The boy let out his emotions over my death, and holds no grudges against the world for it any longer. There are plenty of other things that he doesn't know about my life. Why can't this be one of them?" Bulma sighed and softened her tone.

"Because, Vegeta, he was _alive _for this one. He was _there._ How would you like it if your Father kept something from _you_?" Vegeta's face hardened at the mention of his deceased Father. "Even if it was terrible, wouldn't you want to know?" She looked at him hesitantly, before taking the plunge. "Didn't you want to know? When he gave you to-" Without warning, she was suddenly on the ground, with Vegeta standing above her.

"We're not going to talk about that," he said coldly. He didn't scream at her like he would have just a few months ago. He didn't raise his power level, or tell her fuck off. But the icy warning in his tone was crystal clear, and anyone else would've immediately dropped the subject. Bulma, however, was not anyone else. She angrily pulled herself off the ground.

"Look, buddy. I _know _you don't want to talk about this stuff, but the fact is, it happened, ok? You don't want Trunks to bottle shit up like you, but you're fine with leaving him in the dark just like your Dad? That doesn't make a damn bit of sense, and you know it." Vegeta's fists tightened by his sides and it took every ounce of his control not to lose it. Bulma recognized the warning signs in her lover's stance, but she was sick of this. It was time he reconciled with his past. "Vegeta. Your Father didn't tell you before he gave you to Frieza. He didn't warn you, even though he'd known for a long time. It just happened."

"Bulma…"

"Wouldn't you have liked to know? Wouldn't you feel better if he'd warned you, first? But it happened anyway."

"This is _completely _different," Vegeta spat. "I'm not planning on selling my son into the slavery of some tyrant. I would _die _before I let that happen." Bulma's face softened.

"I know, Vegeta. But the principle is the same. You deserved to know the truth, and so does Trunks." Vegeta looked away, confliction etched on his face. He knew what Bulma was saying was true, but he had no idea how to tell his son.

"He'll hate me," he said softly.

"He loves you, Vegeta."

"He won't after I tell him."

"That's not true. He might be angry. But he'll come around. His love for you isn't conditional, Vegeta. Don't you still love your Father?" Vegeta's head spun around to stare at Bulma in shock. Did he _love _his Father? What kind of a ridiculous question was that? How could he possibly feel that way for that idiot? How could he possibly care for the man who _gave him up_ for that murderous lizard freak? Instead of fighting like a man, saying there was no way that he'd let him take his son, he just let him go. Vegeta had made excuses his whole life, thought he'd understood that his Father had just done what he thought was best. But then he'd had his own son. And he suddenly realized that had the situation been different, had _he_ been the one facing Frieza, he could _never _let Trunks go. He would've put Trunks on a ship and sent him to another planet, leaving himself to face Frieza. If that meant death, so be it. At least his son would be safe. But his Father did no such thing. He let Frieza take him. No, he didn't love him. He _hated _him.

"That man is the reason why I am the monster I am today," he seethed. "How could you _possibly _suggest that I care for him?"

"Vegeta, Frieza is the reason that you did what you did, not your Father. And…you're not a monster, bab-"

"How can you say that? Frieza did the deed, but my Father just _let _him!" Vegeta's voice was rising in anger, but he was past the point of caring. How could she possibly suggest something so ridiculous? "He let me go, leaving me in the fucked up state that I am! He twisted me so that I don't know what to do, besides kill! I _am _a monster, Bulma, and it's time you realized that! I _let_ Babidi take control over me! _I _did it, it was _my _choice! I wanted to go back to the way I was, because it's the only damn thing that's ever made sense to me! I'm _not _Kakarot, I'm not a good Father or mate, I don't care for you the way you deserve! The only thing I'm good at is killing." Bulma could feel her eyes welling up with tears. Was that really what he thought of himself? That he was a monster? Couldn't he see how much he'd changed, how different he was now?

"Vegeta…"

"No, you can't change it. That's the way it is. It's time you fucking accepted it. That's why I left, Bulma. I'm finished running from it. It's time to face the truth. I should never have come back."

"Don't say that! Damnit, Vegeta, why can't you see the truth? Goku told me, okay? He _told _me why you're alive!" Vegeta shook his head in frustration and confusion.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"He told me your wish. That all the people who had been killed that didn't have an evil heart, would be back to life. So you wouldn't have to see Babidi again. But…Vegeta, _you_ were brought back to life with them." Vegeta looked away, embarrassed by what she was implying. "Vegeta…you're not evil anymore"

They sat in silence for a few moments, Vegeta internally wrestling with the idea of him being "good," Bulma desperately trying to hold back tears, when Vegeta's eyes suddenly widened. He whirled around, only to see his son staring back at him, eyes wide with shock. Bulma turned to see what had startled him, and gasped. How long had he been there? What had he heard? They all stood there tensely, before Trunks whispered,

"Mom…what do you mean _anymore_?"


	8. The Truth

Trunks looked at his Mother in confusion, waiting for her answer. He didn't understand what was going on. He and his Father had had such a good talk earlier. For the first time since his Father had died, Trunks hadn't felt like he was about to explode. But his mind had still been racing with thoughts about his Father. What had his other lives been like? What _exactly_ had happened to his Father's parents? He had so many questions swirling around his head that he couldn't sleep. He had decided to get a drink of water from the kitchen downstairs, when he'd heard his parents arguing. That didn't make sense to him; his Mother had seemed so happy when he'd told her about his conversation with his Dad. What was wrong now? Curious, he'd snuck over to listen. He _did not_ expect to hear what he did.

Trunks knew very little of his Father's past. He'd _always _wondered about it, but his Father was _completely _closed on the subject. When he was younger, he would get in trouble and be forced to do a thousand pushups if he asked about it (unbeknownst to his Mother). When he'd asked his Mother, she had told him very little, promising that his Father would tell him the rest one day. She explained to him that his Father was a prince, the prince of the Saiyan race. Trunks had casually noted to himself that this made_ him_ a prince as well, though he only confided that in (and forced it on) Goten. She told him an asteroid had destroyed the Saiyans' home planet, but he knew that wasn't true. Once, when Trunks was very young, he'd asked his Father why they could do special things, like fly and channel ki, when his Mother could not. This had led to him asking where all the other Saiyans lived, and his Father had told him an evil monster named Frieza had destroyed it long ago.

It was then that he'd realized that his Mother wouldn't always tell him the truth. Sometimes she lied. It was never to be mean or anything. She only did it when she thought it was better for him not to know about something. She was trying to protect him, and he understood and respected that. But it was annoying and really irritated him sometimes. That was one of the differences between his Mother and his Father. His Dad _never _lied to him. He _always_ told him the truth, no matter how much it sucked to hear it. And while sometimes it hurt, it was nice to know that his Father would never assume that he couldn't handle something. He had realized this at a young age, and yet, he'd never thought that his Father might not want to tell him about his past for that very reason. Instead of lying to him, his Father refused to tell him anything. He hadn't wanted him to know the truth.

Trunks was still unsure exactly what the truth was. He'd only heard bits and pieces of what his parents had said. But it was enough to make an uneasy feeling rise in his stomach. His Mother had implied that his Dad was keeping something him, something that Trunks had been alive to witness. What could it be? At first he'd thought it might have just been a misunderstanding. Maybe his Mom didn't know that Trunks knew his Dad had sacrificed himself to kill Buu, and she thought he deserved to know. He had convinced himself that that was what it was, until his Father had told his Mother that he was a monster. That the only thing he was good at was…killing. And that he had let Babidi take control of him. But that didn't make any sense. His Father never appeared to be under any kind of spell. Unless something had happened before he and Goten had gotten there…but during his fight with Buu he had seemed fine! What could he possibly be talking about? And all the weird stuff about Frieza and not selling Trunks into slavery made it even more confusing! When his parents had fallen silent, he realized his Father _still _hadn't noticed his presence. Not being able to take the tension any longer, he'd slightly raised his ki, catching his Father's attention. They had been sitting in silence ever since he'd asked the question he wanted to know the most, only a few moments before.

Bulma looked at Vegeta, frozen with fear. She _had_ wanted Vegeta to talk to Trunks, she wanted him to learn the truth, but not like this. Everything was all wrong; this wasn't how it was supposed to happen at all. He was supposed to sit down and have a nice, open, _honest _conversation with their son. Instead, he'd found out through the harsh words his Father had screamed out of anger and fear, though he'd never admit to the latter. Her poor son looked so confused and scared, and he was looking to her for consolation. The tears that had been threatening to spill before silently slipped down her face. Her baby boy just wanted to know that his Father was a good man. And he was. He really, truly was. Taking a deep breath, Bulma attempted to steady herself and speak in as smooth of a voice as possible.

"Oh, sweetie, I didn't know you were there! Were you having trouble sleeping? Maybe you should get a glass of water." She managed to feign a smile and walked over to him, running her fingers through his hair. "Your Father and I were just having a little argument, but everything's okay, nothing you should worry about. I was just joking about him being evil, something I like to say when he makes me ma-"

"Bulma." Vegeta's voice was soft but commanding. To anyone else it would've sounded strong and commanding, as though the chaos around him was having no effect on him whatsoever. But Bulma knew him so much better than that. She heard the strain in his voice, the fear. She looked at him and tried another smile.

"_Vegeta_, I was just explaining to Trun-"

"Don't." Bulma's heart sped up. Her voice dropped and betrayed her as fear crept into her words.

"Vegeta, you_ don't_ have to do-"

"I'm not going to lie him." His voice was final; there was no arguing with him. His mind was set, and that was the end of it. Bulma had more luck swaying Vegeta than anyone else in the world, but even she could not always change the mind of such a stubborn man. He had made his choice, and he was not going to waver. His eyes narrowed and seemed to take him to a faraway place for a brief moment, before he softly added, "He deserves to know the truth." Bulma nodded slowly.

"Do you want me to stay?" Vegeta looked at his son. Trunks's eyes widened as he realized his Father was looking to him to decide. He looked at his Mother, his sweet, comforting Mother. He was about to say yes, when he remembered that she was also the one that had been lying to him moments prior. He sighed and shook his head. Vegeta gave a curt nod, turned around, and headed for the door. Trunks followed silently, wondering where he was taking him.

Vegeta stopped in front of the door to the gravity room, his heart pounding in his chest. He had faced thousands of foes in his life, fought battles to the death over and over again. He'd been beaten within an inch of his life on numerous occasions, and walked into the line of fire more times than he could count. But he couldn't recall ever being as afraid as he was in that moment. Every battle he'd ever entered, he'd only had to worry about losing his own life. His stupid, pathetic, miserable life. Either he would win, or Kakarot would come behind him and finish the job. He cringed admitting that, even if it was just to himself, but it was true. But now, he might lose his son. Not to death, but instead to the truth; that he was a monster. Bulma was smart, but she was also in love with him. Love was blind, they said, and she seemed to find it easy to forget his destructive past. But his son…his son had _his _blood in him, his royal _Saiyan_ blood. No, his son would not be deceived. And it scared the hell out of him.

Taking a deep breath, Vegeta walked inside and tried to prepare for the long conversation that was about to ensue. He didn't even know where to start with everything. Suddenly feeling a bit lightheaded, he walked over to the nearest wall and slid down it until he was sitting. Trunks slowly followed and sat next to him. They sat in silence for a while, until Vegeta finally sighed. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. His voice was even and somewhat monotone, void of any of the emotion he was trying desperately to contain inside.

"What do you want to know?"


	9. Vegeta's Past

_O/C: Hey guys, I am soo sorry it's taken so long to get this up! School's hit me pretty hard lately. But I finally had some down time to do something creative. :) School will be out in a few weeks, so I'll be posting a lot more frequently soon. Thank you so much for your patience! _

_Everything. _That's what he wanted to know. He wanted to know what the hell his Father had been talking about, and why he was trying to hide it all from him. He wanted to know what the deal with this Frieza guy was, and what had happened with Babidi. He wanted to know why his Father had gotten so angry, and why he thought he was a monster, and why his Mother had used that awful word, _anymore._ He wasn't sure if he was scared or excited or pissed off. Maybe he was all of them, and more. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling his Father was planning on him being angry, since he'd brought him to the gravity room. His Father was always thinking of his Mother, always trying to protect her. Trunks was still young and wasn't always aware of his strength, especially when he was mad. His Father knew this, and that was probably why he'd brought him here. The thought made him nervous. What was he about to learn that would make him so angry? Trunks took a position that mirrored his Father's before speaking the question that was burning inside of him.

"Did you used to be…_evil_?"

"Yes." Trunks had lived with his Father for most of his life, and shouldn't have been surprised by the bluntness of his response, but he was. His mind began to race with thoughts and fears. He had heard murmurings about that his whole life, whispers about his Father being an evil man. He mostly heard them from Yamcha, but he figured it was just because he hated his Dad. He wasn't sure what had happened between Yamcha and his Father, but they both despised the other with a burning passion. Trunks had never thought his accusations to be true. He was beginning to wonder if he knew his Father at all. He suddenly had even more questions, but blurted out the first one that came to his mind.

"Why?" Vegeta considered that one for a moment. Why _had_ he been evil? Had it really been because of Frieza? Or had he been born with a twisted heart? Was it always his fate to be the murderer that he had been? He sighed.

"Because it was all I knew." Trunks looked at his Father's face. When he didn't continue, Trunks felt anger shoot through his body. Could he _be _anymore vague? He glared at his Father.

"What does that _mean_, Dad? Were your parents evil or something? Why was that all you knew? Did someone make you be that way?" Vegeta glanced at his son. "Tell me," he insisted. Suddenly Vegeta turned to face his son, his expression strained and serious.

"Trunks, the story of my life is not a pretty one. I will tell it to you because you are my son, and I believe that it is best for you to know the truth. But it is not an easy story for me to tell, nor is it a story I like reliving. Furthermore, you may not _like_ what you hear. It may make you angry, or even afraid. I will tell it to you, but I am warning you. You need to decide if you truly want to hear it." Trunks nodded slowly, though his mind had been made up before his Father had finished talking.

"I'm sure." Vegeta nodded before leaning back against the wall. He closed his eyes again and sat in silence for a long time. Trunks was beginning to wonder if he'd fallen asleep, when he finally began talking in a low voice.

"As I told you once, Planet Vegeta was destroyed by a monster called Frieza. Frieza took control over the planet when I was a young child. He forced them to do whatever he wanted. He took me from my Father – The King – when I was a young boy." Trunks looked at his Father in surprise, but Vegeta took no notice, and continued. "He told me if I did whatever he told me to, he would let my Father live. So I did. I killed innocent people and trained hard, determined to do what he asked of me. But he killed him anyway. He sent me on a mission on another planet, and blew up Planet Vegeta while I was gone. He lied and said an asteroid destroyed it, but I later learned the truth." Trunks tried to process the information his Father had just given him, but he kept talking. "After that, I worked for Frieza, doing whatever the bastard told me to," he spat bitterly. "If he wanted someone killed, I killed them. If he wanted someone tortured, I tortured them. He beat me regularly, sometimes within an inch of my life, telling me I was only good for fighting. It didn't take long for me to believe him. I became the perfect warrior, ruthless, malicious. Yes, Trunks, I was evil. I didn't have a choice. It was that, or death."

Trunks stared at him in complete shock. He had always suspected that his Father had been through more than he let on. He figured he had probably seen some terrible things in his life, but this…it was more than he'd imagined. His young mind couldn't comprehend being forced to do the things that his Father had, and at such a young age. It was awful. How could anyone ever do that to someone? And…how could anyone ever survive it? His eyes softened as he looked at his Father's face, newfound respect growing inside of him. It was frightening to think of him being evil at one time. It made him feel sick to think of his Father killing innocent people. But he'd never had a chance. That monster, Frieza, made him that way. No tears were in his eyes, but his stomach and throat felt tight the way they do before you cry. His Father had literally been through hell. The conversation between him and his Mother replayed in his head, and he suddenly realized something.

"And…your Dad…he knew?" Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows.

"Knew what? That he was going to destroy the planet?"

"No, Dad, that…that Frieza was…was going to take you." A grunt followed by a quick nod was all Trunks got in response.

"But he didn't tell you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"That's a good damn question." Trunks looked down at his feet, his heart aching for his Father. Trunks was only eight years old, but his mind was beyond his years, as was his heart. He'd lived in peace for the majority of his life, though the absence of his Father in the first years of his life had caused him some pain. It had been difficult when Buu came, and horrible when he'd killed his Father. He'd then proceeded to wipe out the entire planet, just like Frieza with Saiyans. But Goku and his Dad had finally defeated Buu, and they'd used the dragon balls to wish everything back to normal. To Trunks, it was all just one horrific nightmare, no longer reality, but still enough to make him appreciate what he had. But for his Father, it had been every day, a living hell, starting when he was even younger than Trunks was. Trunks furrowed his eyebrows, remembering more of the conversation he'd overheard.

"Why would Mom think that…I mean, that you'd…why would she think you'd still care about your Dad?" Vegeta glanced at him.

"Another good question," he muttered. Trunks nodded to himself. He still had more questions, but something else had occurred to him.

"You told Mom you would never let that happen to me." Vegeta sighed. The past two weeks had been exhausting and annoyingly emotional. He had, indeed, learned to accept his emotions better than he had in the past, but he was getting tired of feeling them so frequently. It was so much easier to just get pissed off and go train than sit there and explain to his son why he would die before he figuratively let Frieza take him away. But they were already in the gravity room, so he couldn't escape there. And he knew he owed Trunks and explanation. He grunted.

"Trunks, I already told you I don't want you to live the life that I have. If sacrificing myself would prevent you from that, then so be it." Trunks's eyes widened for the millionth time that day, as the truth dawned on him. Suddenly, everything made sense.

"That's why you did it…That's why you sacrificed yourself against Buu." Vegeta could feel his cheeks get hot and he silently cursed himself for becoming so soft. Trunks began to smile, pride filling him, when Vegeta shook his head.

"No, Trunks. You don't know the whole story. It is true that I tried to kill Buu by destroying myself in the hopes of saving you and your Mother." He rolled his eyes. "And I suppose all the other idiots on this damn planet," he muttered. "But it's what happened before that that I haven't told you. It is connected to what happened with Frieza, in some way. But that is no excuse, and I do not ask you to make one for me." Trunks's shoulders dropped.

"So it's true then? Babidi put you under some kind of spell?" Vegeta had never been one to beat around the bush. As many bad traits as he'd possessed over the years, honesty was something he highly valued. Too many times he'd been in the shadows about what had really happened, or what was going to happen. He quickly learned that the truth, no matter how painful, was _always _better than being lied to. Because of this, he's always been _painfully _honest, as Bulma put it. But he couldn't help it. Not to mention, he always enjoyed seeing the shock on people's faces when he hit them with his merciless candor. But this time…this time was different. This time he hesitated. This time he wanted so badly to lie, to tell his son that it wasn't true. But he wouldn't do that. No, he respected his son too much for that. Taking a silent, deep breath, Vegeta answered.

"Yes. When we were on Babidi's ship, he attacked me and took control over my mind." Trunks felt his stomach drop. His Father was one of the most powerful warriors in the universe, second to only Goku, though Trunks still didn't fully believe that. He fought for good, and that was great. But if someone evil took over his Father, it would be a disaster. It also scared him to think that someone could be powerful enough to _force _his Father to do anything. He frowned and nodded, his mind starting to create scenarios.

"So you killed some innocent people or something then?"

"Yes…"

"But you were under Babidi's spell?" The temptation to leave it at that was intense. But Vegeta was a warrior, and he would be damned if he backed down now.

"Yes, Trunks. I was technically under Babidi's spell. I killed innocent people, though they were later brought back to life by the dragon balls. But that is not what I brought you here to tell you." Trunks furrowed his eyebrows.

"What is it then? What else do you have to tell me besides that Babidi took over you mind?" Vegeta clenched his jaw and stared straight ahead.

"I let him."


	10. Trunks's Rage

_I am so so sorry it's taken me so long to update! This chapter was difficult to write, for whatever reason. I hope that you like it, and that it was worth the wait! Thank you so much for your support and follows! Please review! :) _

_~Neth_

Trunks stared at his Father in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Vegeta glared at his son.

"What do you mean, what do I mean? I _mean_ just what I said." Trunks shook his head.

"I _know _what you said, Dad, but what the hell does that _mean_?" He could feel his heart starting to beat harder in his small chest. He was starting to get nervous, though he couldn't understand why. He heard the words his Father was saying, but they didn't make sense. Why would his Father _let _Babidi take control of his mind? His Father was the biggest control freak ever, second only to his Mother. It didn't make sense.

Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to get pissed off. It was only natural for his son to react this way. What he had done didn't make sense to him, and it was normal for Trunks to be upset. But he couldn't help but get irritated. He didn't like hearing his son talk like that, and he _really _didn't like knowing that he deserved it. It was a hard pill to swallow, admitting that he had fucked things up pretty good this time. It was a blow to his pride, and he had been struggling with intense feelings of shame ever since he'd come back to life. But dealing with it internally was nothing compared to admitting it to one of the few people in his life that he felt actually gave a damn about him. He silently took a deep breath in through his nose before opening his eyes.

"It _means_ that I made a grave mistake. It means that I was being selfish and only thinking of myself. It means that things that I thought I'd left behind..." He drifted off and allowed himself to sneak a glance at Trunks, who still looked half angry and half confused. Vegeta sighed, frustrated. "It means I fucked up, Trunks," he said blatantly. Trunks shook his head, still not understanding.

"Saying it was a mistake doesn't make it make sense. It doesn't explain _why_ you did it."

Vegeta clenched his fist, trying desperately to keep his anger inside. His son's wisdom was far beyond his eight years. Of course, he had already dealt with more than most people did in an entire lifetime. But a part of Vegeta had been wishing that Trunks would just leave it at that. He shook his head. What was he thinking? He always prided himself on telling the truth. If people couldn't handle it, that was their own damn problem. Why should his son be any different? Suddenly feeling very sound in his decision, and coursing with adrenaline from his anger, he turned and looked his son straight in the eyes.

"I used to be evil, Trunks. I was feared across the universe. Planets of people feared me and shook at the mention of my name. I was malicious and drunk with _power. _I was the perfect warrior, cold and ruthless. I lived by my strength alone, uninhibited by emotions. But when I settled down on Earth…when I met your Mother…things changed. Suddenly I had grown soft and started a family on this mud ball of a planet. I had become just like _Kakarot_. And yet still, he continued to surpass me in power. I thought maybe…my family held me back. I thought I needed Babidi to set me free. I wanted him to reawaken the evil in my heart. I wanted him to return me to the way I was before."

Trunks stared at his Father in disbelief, thoughts racing through his young mind. His Father didn't just used to be evil, but he was one of the most feared names in the universe. And it wasn't just because of Frieza. The way he described it, it was almost as if he'd _liked _it…as if he'd liked being that way. And suddenly it all made sense. He liked being that way. He…had liked being evil. And his Mother and himself were what had held him back. A million thoughts flooded his mind, and that's when he snapped.

Trunks stood to his feet, tears streaming down his face, his eyes blazing with anger. His teeth were clenched, as were his fists. His hair flickered between lavender and golden as he tried to keep in control of the emotions swirling inside him. He tried to will his eyes now to spill anymore tears, but they refused. He was overwhelmed with the feeling of betrayal. His Father had turned from him and his Mother. And for what? A fucking power trip? He'd never felt so much pain before. The earlier thoughts of sympathy towards his Father and his past were completely extinguished and forgotten. All that was left was an aching feeling in his chest, and an overwhelming rage.

"How could you do that!?" he grinded out between clenched teeth. "How could you do that to Mom? After everything she's done for you! After everything she's done for us you just fucking decided to turn your back on her?" Vegeta sat calmly on the floor, facing his son. Yes, he was certainly _his _son. Powering up in anger and screaming blindly at him…it was the kind of reaction the Saiyan Prince would've had himself. So why wasn't he having the same reaction? Suddenly the anger he'd felt just moments before was gone, as if Trunks had taken it all from him. How could he be mad at his son? No, he was mad at _himself. _Trunks had every right to react this way. He deserved it. "How could you turned your back on us like that? How could…how could you just give up on us like that? Kami, are you seriously just gonna sit there? You're not gonna say _anything?!" _Vegeta looked up at his son, confused. Wasn't that what he wanted? Didn't he want him to sit and listen to what he had to say? Didn't he deserve this?

Trunks shook his head in frustration before finally giving in to the tidal wave of anger within. His lavender hair exploded into golden as he lifted his head back and screamed. A glowing aura surrounded him and began to expand as Trunks exploded with power. He slowly pulled his head back down, his now emerald green eyes fixed on his Father. His eyebrows were furrowed in anger and he had a deep scowl on his face. He looked at him with complete hatred. A sinking feeling hit Vegeta's gut as he realized that his son…looked just like himself.

When a Saiyan turned into a Super Saiyan, his hair turned golden and his eyes turned green. But it was more than just these similarities that were currently staring back at Vegeta. Trunks's facial structure was a spitting image of his, as was the current look of malice on his face. He felt hurt, he felt betrayed. So of course instead of dealing with these emotions, he'd exploded in a fit of power and fury. Suddenly Vegeta understood. His son was just like him. So there could be only one thing he wanted right now…

As if reading his mind, Trunks flew at Vegeta, aiming straight for his face. Vegeta dodged it easily. It usually mad Trunks mad when he couldn't hit him, but it didn't seem to faze his son, as he rebounded off the wall and came back at him again. This continued for a while, Trunks going after his Father and missing with every attack. In his rage, Trunks had become sloppy and careless with his moves and it was starting to really piss Vegeta off. No son of his would fight like _that._

"That's enough!" he bellowed, powering up into his own Super Saiyan state. Father and son stood for a moment, almost identical, staring at the other. "You call that a fight, boy? You've yet to land a single punch! It's time you learned how a _real_ man fights!" Too quick for Trunks's eyes to see, his Father flew at him and knocked him to the ground. Trunks quickly sat up, tasting blood in his mouth. He stood up, anger coursing through his veins. But Vegeta was too fast for him. Again and again, Trunks flew at his Father. And again and again, Vegeta knocked him back to the ground, until it was finally too much for Trunks to take. Physically, he was fine. He was used to his Father beating the shit out of him on a daily basis. But emotionally, he was spent. Why couldn't his Father just let him hit him? Why couldn't he just _let _him take his anger out? Powering down, Trunks stomped his foot.

"Ugh, it's not fair! I can't even _touch _you! Why can't you just let me hit you?! I want to hit you!" Powering down, Vegeta calmly crosses his arms and looked at his son. He now looked like Trunks again, a perfect mixture of both of his parents. His lavender hair was like a physical testament to the two of them, a perfect blend of the two. And it was all Vegeta could do not to smirk as Trunks's pouty blue eyes looked up at him in a mixture of anger and frustration. They looked just like his Mother's. Vegeta shook his head and turned to walk out of the gravity room.

Trunks's eyes widened in shock and immediately powered up again. "Oh no! I'm not _done_ with you yet! You can't just walk out!" Vegeta turned to look at his son, only in time to see Trunks's fist collide with his face. Vegeta flew into the wall and crashed to the floor. Trunks waited in anticipation; there was no way that was enough to stop his Father. And it surely wasn't. Vegeta got to his feet and wiped away a small trickle of blood from his lips with his thumb. Trunks waited anxiously for his Father to explode in rage to match his own. He was thirsty for a fight. But instead, Vegeta only smiled. Trunks stared at him in disbelief. Was his Father losing his mind? Why the hell was he _smiling? _He barely had time to wonder before he was shoved against the opposite wall, his Father's eyes level with his own.

Vegeta stared at his son intently. He, too, had expected to explode in anger, should Trunks have actually hit him. That was why he hadn't let him before. He figured the boy needed to get his aggression out, and so he let him fight with him. But he wasn't about to let the boy lay a hand on him. The last thing this situation needed was for him to lose his cool, and in turn, make the situation even worse than it already was. But his son was quicker than he'd given him credit for. As soon as he'd put his guard down, he'd attacked, and hit him fair and square. But there was no anger from Vegeta. No, only something that was unfamiliar territory for him: concern. Concern for Trunks. Trunks squirmed against him, trying to get out of his Father's grasp. But Vegeta wasn't going to let go. He stared into his son's green eyes until they finally faded back to the beautiful blue that his Mother had given him. Tears of frustration streamed down his cheeks, but Vegeta refused to let go. Finally, he spoke. His voice was soft, but firm.

"You have every right to be angry with me, Trunks. You have every right to be upset and to want to hurt me. But I will be _damned _if I see my son walk down the same path that I did. I will be damned if I sit here and let anger eat away your life like it has mine. You can push me away and tell me you never want to see me again. I can be a shadow, protecting you from the side, seeing only your Mother from time to time. I can do that for you, if you want it. But I will _not _let your anger destroy you like I let it destroy me."

Vegeta released his grip on his son and watched as he slid to the floor. He looked at him for a moment, fear of losing him eating at his insides, before he turned for the door.


	11. Reactions

Bulma stared at the dark sky above her with a dead look on her face. The sparkling stars stared down above her. Exchanging glances with the universe above was usually one of her favorite past times. Countless times she'd laid outside and stared up at the infinite space above her and smiled. But tonight was different. There was nothing for her to smile about. There had been plenty to cry about, and she had, for a very long time. But she didn't have any tears to cry anymore. And so she sat in a chair she'd dragged outside next to the house, staring up at the sky, a look of exhaustion painted on her face. She was completely spent.

It had been hours since they had gone into the gravity room, and she'd been waiting by anxiously ever since. She wasn't sure what to expect at first. Would Trunks be angry? Hurt? Would he cry? Scream? She knew he'd have a big reaction. He _was _her and Vegeta's son. Big, dramatic, emotional reactions were commonplace with them. But she didn't know what the driving emotion behind it would be. Anger? Fear? Sorrow? She sat for a long time, playing the different scenarios through her mind, when she was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts. Her stomach sank as she heard the loud boom from inside the gravity room. Her heart pounded in her chest and she wondered which of the two most important men in her life had thrown which against the walls inside. She had a feeling she knew the answer to that.

Ever Motherly instinct told her to run inside and stop whatever the hell was going on in there. Every part of her screamed to interfere and make them stop fighting. But she knew there was nothing she could do. Even if she did manage to stop them, it wouldn't stop or get rid of the real conflict that they were dealing with. Suddenly she was drawn out of her thoughts as she heard the gravity room door open. She looked in anticipation as Vegeta walked out. He didn't appear to be hurt, confirming her fear that it was her son that had been thrown against the wall. As if in slow motion, he turned to look at her. His face was pale and he looked completely exhausted. His eyes narrowed and he glared at her with a look of pure hate, a look she hadn't seen from him in years. She stood to go to him, but his words rooted her to the ground.

"I hope you're fucking happy."

With that, he was gone, disappearing into the same dark sky she had been staring at. She fell to the ground, crestfallen. Apparently she was wrong about the tears, since more were currently streaming down her face. She shook her head. She knew Vegeta was only lashing out because he didn't know what else to do. He was hurt and even more, he was scared. Trunks had obviously had a bad reaction to the whole thing, and he had to be terrified of losing him. But it still hurt that he had, once again, taken it out on her. And that look on his face…she shivered at the thought. Wiping her eyes, she tilted her head back up to look at the sky in the direction where her lover had gone.

Trunks stared at the blank wall across from him. How long had it been since his Father had left? Seconds? Hours? He couldn't be sure. It didn't matter, really. Nothing seemed to matter. He had been filled with so much rage before, and now there was just nothing. He was empty. It still didn't make sense to him, not really. How could his Father have done that? Did he _really_ want to be evil again? He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around it. And instead of talking to him about it, he'd completely freaked out and _attacked_ him. He laughed out loud, though it sounded more like a bark. Surely he was losing his mind if he was attacking his Father. And then he actually acted surprised when he couldn't hit him! Yes, he had to be losing it.

Shaking his head, he slowly pulled himself to his feet. He groaned as his head and ribs ached in protest. He pressed on his ribs gently. They were sore, but they didn't feel broken. He was only eight, but he'd already broken his ribs six times. They hurt, but they didn't hurt as bad as they had before. He sighed. Even when he was attacking his Father and freaking out, he had made sure not to hit him _too _hard. He shook his head in confusion.

"I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to think right now," he whispered to himself. Sighing, he headed for the door, praying that his Mother was already in bed. Shoving it open, he was shocked to instead find a familiar face dressed in a bright orange gi, smiling mid-knock.

Vegeta stared at the sky above him and thought of his mate. She always loved staring up at the stars. He sighed. He was such an idiot. Why the hell had he said that to her? Now she was probably pissed off at him too. The conversation between him and his son was inevitable. It wasn't Bulma's fault. But of course, in his anger and frustration, and fear, though he would never admit that out loud, he had taken it out on her. The one person who had always been there for him, who had always been by his side, was always the first person he took everything out on. He cursed himself. What the hell was wrong with him?

Images of Trunks's shocked face flashed before his mind and he shivered. _One more nightmare to add to the pile, _he thought darkly. Somehow he always managed to disappoint people, specifically his family. Specifically his son. For the first time, Vegeta was at a loss of what to do. He had figured out (with Bulma's help) that he pretty much had a cycle when it came to conflict. He lashed out in anger, powered up and frequently hurt others (either physically or emotionally, depending on who he was angry at), and then he ran away. He had managed to keep his anger in place for once, but the latter still held true. He usually stayed away for a week or two before going back, but this time he'd found himself wanting to return as soon as he'd left. He didn't like leaving things the way he had with Trunks, but he didn't know what else to do. Vegeta narrowed his eyes as he was pulled out of his thoughts, though the image of Trunks's disappointed face hadn't left his mind.

"You've got to be kidding me," he growled. He pulled his eyes from the stars above to glare at the idiot next to him.

"Kidding about what?" Goku asked cheerfully, a smile plastered on his face.

"Go away."

"Aww, come on Vegeta! I just wanna help."

"I don't want your help," he grumbled. Goku smiled knowingly.

"Yeah, I kinda figured. But I felt Trunks's energy shoot up. I thought you all might have been training late, but it just kept going up higher and higher so I got a little worried and paid him a visit." Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"I can take care of my own damn family without you interrupting all the time, Kakarot." Goku looked at his feet sheepishly.

"I know, but…he just seemed upset and things are kinda stressful at home right now with trying to get to know Goten and Chi Chi being mad at me and-"

"I don't care." Goku frowned and crossed his arms.

"Well fine, you big meanie. I'll try to help you and _your_ family, but nooo, you don't have to listen to m-"

"_Shut up. _I have more important things to worry about right now than the latest thing you did to piss your harpy of a wife off." Goku stared at Vegeta for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah. Okay. Bulma told me what happened. About Trunks overhearing you." He glanced at Vegeta, expecting him to tell him to stay out of it. Instead he gave a curt nod. Silence fell upon them for a few moments before Goku continued. "So you told him about becoming Majin?" Again, a slight nod. Sighing, Goku sat down on a rock near Vegeta. Crossing his legs he put an elbow on his knee and rested his head in his hand. "And he didn't take it too well." Another period of silence followed them before Vegeta finally grumbled,

"He took it like I would've taken it." Goku couldn't help it. He laughed out loud. Had he not felt so shitty, Vegeta would've allowed a smirk himself. It was comical, in a way. It sucked that Trunks had reacted so furiously. But with himself and Bulma as parents, what was he expecting? Goku smiled.

"So Trunks inherited his parents' temper, huh? Duly noted." A long silence fell over them, longer than the ones before. Goku glance over at his friend. Yes, he really did consider Vegeta his friend now. After everything they'd been through with fighting Buu, there was no other word for their relationship. He had a feeling Vegeta might protest if he were to mention it out loud. But deep down, Goku knew that Vegeta accepted him now as his friend. And as his friend, he was worried.

Trunks would be fine. Trunks would work through it and move on. He was eight, he loved his Father; he would forgive him and move on. But Vegeta…Vegeta would blame himself. And there was no telling what he would do in his self-loathing. Goku sighed. He needed to try to get him to talk. He looked tentatively at the prince, who was staring straight ahead at seemingly nothing. He was deep in thought, a dark scowl on his face and anger in his eyes. Goku remembered his promise to himself the last time Vegeta had run away. _Don't worry, Vegeta,_ he thought to himself. _We're gonna figure this out for you. I promise. _


	12. Saiyan Advice

_The reward for waiting so long for Chapter 10 is two new chapters up in one night! Woo! Thank you again for your reviews, favorites, and follows. Please keep them coming! It keeps me going. :) _

_~Neth _

Goku turned towards Vegeta.

"So…What now?" he asked softly, trying not to sound demanding. He needed to get in Vegeta's mind and figure out what exactly he was thinking. It took a moment for him to answer, as he allowed his destructive thoughts to disappear as he came back to reality. He sighed before looking at Goku.

"I don't know," he admitted. Goku nodded. It worried him that Vegeta was unsure of himself; Vegeta was _never _unsure of himself. But it was good that he wasn't set on staying away like he'd been the last time. Or the time before, or the time before that…In fact, it was amazing that Vegeta wasn't set on running away for a few weeks. He had to fight at the smile that was threatening to spread across his face. He had always thought it was going to be Bulma that would help Vegeta change. And she had done a great deal. But the big steps that Vegeta made were always from his son, present or future.

"Well, whenever Gohan was mad at me, I would take him fishing. He loves fishing! At first, he would be really grouchy, but over time he would lighten up and we'd have a great time!" Vegeta stared at Goku for a moment.

"You're an idiot."

"What?! Seriously, that's what we did! It always worked!" Goku crossed his arms in a pout. "I'm just trying to help." Vegeta rolled his eyes. Sometimes Kakarot reminded him of his son when he was three. It was annoying and disgraceful for a full-blooded Saiyan to act like such a child. And, once again, he seemed to completely ignore the differences between the two of them. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"Trunks and I are not like you and your oldest spawn," he said. Goku scratched the back of his head.

"What do you mean?" Vegeta shook his head in frustration.

"Really, Kakarot, are you _actually _that stupid? You're sure you're not just putting it on?" Ignoring the hurt look on the other Saiyan's face, he continued. "Trunks and I do not go _fishing._"Goku shrugged.

"Okay, well something else then, something like that. Something you can do together, you know?" Vegeta shook his head.

"You're missing the point, idiot! Trunks isn't like Gohan, and I'm _certainly _not like you. Trunks and I don't...I'm not…it's just different," he finished lamely. Turning his head, Vegeta looked away out in the night sky. Concern, frustration, and exhaustion were etched in his face.

"Vegeta..." Goku looked at his friend. He had been through so much. Goku had watched as he had changed over all the years they had known each other. The Vegeta that first came to Earth to kill him had grown, softened, changed. He had learned to love. But the horror from his past did not just disappear. The suffering and torture he had endured still weighed heavily on him, and Goku knew that a part of him was still fighting to leave it in the past. Goku sighed. He knew Vegeta didn't want his sympathy, but it was the only thing he could give. That, and the truth. He looked his friend directly in the eye, and continued.

"Look, there is no difference between us." Vegeta raised his eyebrows. Perhaps his old rival had finally lost his mind. He and Kakarot couldn't have been more opposite if they tried. And here he was trying to tell him they were the same. As if he could read his mind, Goku smiled. "Just hear me out. We are both Saiyans. We were both born on Planet Vegeta, years ago. We were the same in the beginning, Vegeta. We were Saiyan children, stubborn and already itching to fight. We both had tails, and we were both totally and completely at the mercy of the circumstances around us. Neither of us had control over our fates." Vegeta just stared, wondering where he was going with all this.

"What I'm trying to say, is that fate just dealt us different cards. I was sent to Earth because I was considered to be weak. When I was a baby, I was hit on the head, and I changed. My Saiyan instincts were moved to the back of my mind, and I lived on Earth in peace and harmony. I went on adventures, I fell in love with Chi Chi. I got married and I had Gohan. Before Raditz landed on the Earth, I didn't even know that I wasn't an Earthling! But you..." he looked at Vegeta sadly, who scowled back at him. "You stayed on Planet Vegeta," he said quietly. "You were given to Frieza, and tortured under him. He destroyed ever-"

"I know what he did to me, Kakarot," Vegeta interjected sharply. But there was a lack of intensity in his eyes. Instead, he just looked...tired. They looked away, remembering all the pain in his past. "He turned me into a mindless, reckless, evil killing machine. He killed my Father and destroyed our entire planet. He made me think that killing was all I was good for. My heart was turned to stone. Every fucking day, I went into battle determined to destroy whoever stood in my way..." he paused. He had been so stupid back then. He thought he didn't care, told himself he was indifferent to all the death around him. But now he knew the truth. He had realized it on Namek, right before he had died. He had told Kakarot everything. And in turn, realized the truth.

"But I was always secretly hoping they'd be stronger...that they could end it." Goku stared at him in surprise. Vegeta glared at him. "I was the strongest being in the universe. No one could stand in my way. Until I met _you_," he said bitterly. "I was so distraught that a stupid, low class idiot like you could actually defeat me. And then suddenly, relief crept in. Perhaps you could be the one...to kill me. If I was to die, it should be at the hands of someone powerful, which you had proven to be. It would be an honorable death. And I had always sworn that I would be damned if I let Frieza be the one to kill me." His eyes narrowed. "It was perfect. My eternal suffering would end. But then you had to go and fucking save me, like I was some helpless dog that needed your pity! You took away the death that I had so longed for, and stripped me of my pride, the only damn thing that I had." Goku's eyes widened with realization.

He had always known that it had been hard for Vegeta to accept his defeat when he had first landed on Earth. He also knew that was when Vegeta's hatred towards him had first begun. But he never imagined the depth of the situation. He never thought that he had taken everything from him... For years, his friends had asked him, begged him, to explain why he had let Vegeta go. It angered them that he honestly couldn't say. He couldn't put it into words, but there was just something about him. He wasn't pure evil, like everyone believed him to be, including Vegeta himself. He had been so passionate about their fight. It originally seemed that he just wanted to destroy them all. But when the two of them had faced off together, Goku saw something else. Vegeta was fighting for more than just his life. He also fought for his pride. He would do anything to win, and yet at the same time, he wanted to defeat Goku honorably. Goku had seen something in him. At the time, it had been subconscious. But after years of thinking back to that moment, Goku realized that in Vegeta, he had seen a glimpse of someone he was quite close to: himself.

"Vegeta, I...I didn't know. If I had known..."

"What, you would've killed me?" Vegeta rolled his eyes. "You're too soft for that. You still would've let me live and you know it." Goku looked at the floor.

"Yeah...I know. But Vegeta, if I hadn't let you go, everything would've changed! Trunks never would've been born and there wouldn't have been anyone to come from the future to warn us. We all would've died against the androids and that would've been the end of it; the end of Earth." Vegeta's face stayed the same, masking whatever was going on inside. Goku decided to try a different approach. "I mean geez, Bulma probably would've ended up with _Yamcha..._" Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he glared at the other Saiyan. Goku couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Yes, he had seen something in Vegeta that day, so long ago. Passion. Passion coursed through the Saiyan Prince's veins. He wasn't afraid to show it when he fought. But Goku knew that it existed in everything that Vegeta did. Including loving his family.

"Look, Vegeta, I know that it's hard to put away what was in the past. I know that's why you made the decision to let Babidi take over your mind. I know you were confused and maybe you're still confused. But that doesn't have to be you anymore. You don't have to hate Frieza anymore, Vegeta. He's gone, dead and buried. Burry your hate with him." The calm façade that Vegeta always held stood as strong as ever. But Goku knew there was a storm of chaos within. There always had been.

"I talked to Trunks. He's upset, but he doesn't hate you. He's just confused; he needs more answers. He knows that he kind of flew off the handle, but he wants to talk to you. He _needs _you, Vegeta. Explain to him why you thought you needed to become who you used to be. Help him through this. The only one who can get him through this is you." Vegeta grunted.

"I got him in this, so I have to get him out." Goku smiled.

"Something like that." Vegeta nodded and got to his feet. Kakarot was right, as shocking as that was. Vegeta was also sick of talking to the clown. He always had to get overly sentimental about shit, and Vegeta wasn't in the mood for a pity party. It was time to go take care of his family. He looked up at the sky for the hundredth time that night and nodded. He was about to take off, when he stopped. He looked back, an odd expression on his face, and Goku couldn't help but smile. Yes, Vegeta had come a long way. Who knew if he would ever actually be able to say thank you to him out loud. But it didn't matter. Goku knew what he meant. Cocking his head to the side, Goku gave him a thumbs up. Vegeta nodded in response, before taking to the sky.


	13. Saiyan Idiots

_Thank you so much for the reviews, everyone. Please keep them coming! I hope you like this chapter and where the story is going thus far! Thanks for everything. :) _

_~Neth_

* * *

Bulma paced up and down the living room. She couldn't decide how to feel. Was she furious? Scared? Sad? Tired? All of the above? She nodded to herself, deciding on the latter, and continued pacing. What the hell was wrong with all the men in her life? She didn't know who to be angrier at. Vegeta was a crazy, egotistical, masochist _idiot_, who never knew how to handle _anything_! He never learned any healthy coping skills in his childhood, and that had translated into him being a stupid adult! He had an intense "fight or flight" response to _everything. _She knew he'd probably flown away to prevent himself from killing their son, but hell, it pissed her off that he hadn't stuck around!

And then she had her supposed 'best friend' barging in. It was embarrassing enough to have to tell people about the issues her family had, but having them actually _witness _it was even worse! He'd shown up with that goofy smile on his face, assuming that his presence alone would just magically fix everything. She groaned, frustrated. He was just as stupid as Vegeta was! He may not have been an arrogant jerk, but the opposite was just as annoying! He was a naïve, ignorant, kind idiot, who never freaking _grew up!_ He had spent his childhood running around, chasing adventures, and that had translated into him being a giant _child_. She didn't need another child to take care of!

She already had her son. Her idiot of a son, who took after his _idiotic _Father! Bulma slammed her fist into the wall in anger. What the hell was he thinking, _attacking _his Father? Bulma was shocked that Vegeta had actually held his composure long enough _to _run away! Had that happened a year ago, her precious dumbass of a son would probably be _dead_. She knew he was going to be angry, but seriously? He just _had _to go flying off the handle, like the hot-headed Saiyan that he was.

"Idiots!" she exclaimed irritably. "They're all idiots!" She crossed her arms in frustration and sat down on the bed. Sometimes they made her so angry she could hardly see straight. Why did she even bother? They didn't listen to a damn thing she said! They did whatever they wanted to and didn't even stop to consider how she felt about it! Why did she even bother with those _Saiyans? _She sighed. She knew why. Letting her head fall into her hands, Bulma let out a sob. She felt like she was losing her mind. One second she was in a blinding rage, and the next she was uncontrollably bawling.

She knew why she dealt with them. Because as stupid and annoying as they were, she loved them. Vegeta was an idiot, but she loved him. He'd sacrificed himself for her and Trunks, so that they might be able to live happily. He'd cried himself to sleep in her arms, grieving for his past of torture and suffering. He'd stood by her through everything. He may not have been the stereotypical image of a partner, but to her, he was perfect. He took her for who she was, head on. She didn't scare him, hurt him, or upset him with her moodiness and quick temper. He was always there to protect her, both physically and emotionally.

And Goku, she'd known Goku almost her entire life! He had been there for her long before she ever met Vegeta! He had been making her laugh for _years. _They'd been on so many adventures together and had so many great times. He'd seen her laugh, cry, scream, everything. He'd watched her fall in love with Yamcha, and break up with him. Then he'd watched her fall in love with Vegeta, and was the only that didn't question her for it. He was always there to hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay. He had such a kind heart, even if he _was _a giant child.

And then she had her son. Her sweet baby boy. She had been so scared when she found out that she was pregnant, and swore to do whatever she had to do to take care of Trunks. She had watched him as he crawled for the first time, took his first steps, and said his first words. She watched fondly has he challenged her every step of the way, stubborn to a fault like both of his parents. He was so young, and yet so grown up for his age. She had watched in amazement as he'd put his Father's death temporarily behind him, to do whatever he had to do to try to save the Earth. He was so strong, in body and spirit. Bulma's eyes welled with tears.

Yes, they were all idiots, but they were _her _idiots. Sniffing, she pulled herself off of the bed. Only one out of three idiots was currently in the house, but she wanted to be with him.

* * *

Trunks stared at his bedroom wall, trying to will his body to go to sleep. His body was beyond exhausted, but his mind was racing. His conversation with Goku kept replaying in his mind. Trunks couldn't help but recognize how completely opposite he was from his Father. He'd taken one look at Trunks and immediately pulled him into a hug, telling him everything was going to be okay. He hadn't even known the situation, and yet he'd already promised him comfort. Most kids his age probably would've taken to such an open display of affection immediately. But not him. He'd pulled away uncomfortably, unsure of how to handle Goku's open embrace.

His Father had hugged him two times in his life: once two weeks before, and once right before he'd died. It had been a bit odd, but not unpleasant. And his Mother hugged him all the time! In that night alone, she'd hugged him at least three times. But for some reason, Trunks had no interest in Goku's hugs. There was just something about it that seemed so…fake. Here he was, trying to be the hero, trying to help Trunks when he didn't even know what was wrong. Who the hell was he to come in and try to fix everything in his family? He had no business sticking his head in _their _business. It was their problem, and they would figure it out. He didn't need Goku to hug him! Trunks sighed irritably. It should've been his Father hugging him, not Goku. Trunks squeezed his eyes shut. There it was, the truth.

But once again, he'd run away. Typical. Instead of dealing with the situation at hand, instead of talking about the issue or at least sticking around fighting it out like _real_ Saiyans, he'd run away. Trunks frowned. He may have only been eight, but he wasn't stupid. Why did his Dad always run away? He was beginning to wonder if it was him. He knew his Mother insisted that it wasn't. "Your Father loves you, Trunks. Sometimes he just has to get away and think for a while." But she had had lied to him before. Who's to say she wouldn't do it again? He frowned. Speak of the devil. He felt her ki signal before she gently knocked on the door.

"Trunks? Sweetie, are you in there? Are you…okay?" Bulma sighed. Was he okay? Of course he wasn't okay! His Father had just told him that not only did he _used _to be evil, but before he also let a crazy wizard take over his mind to help him go back to being evil. And on top of that, he'd beat the hell out of their son, and then flown away! She stomped her foot in frustration. "Damnit, Vegeta," she muttered. "Why do you always have to run away?"

"Who says I'm running away?" A gruff voice came from behind her. Bulma froze in shock, before whipping around to face him.

On the other side of the door, Trunks was just as shocked, and just as immobile. He'd been about to open the door for his Mother, when he'd felt his Father's ki join her. What was he doing here? It had only been a few hours…hadn't it only been a few hours? Had it been longer? Even if it had, it still wasn't long enough. When there was conflict, his Father usually took off and was gone for _days,_ if not, weeks. Why was he back so soon? Trunks wasn't sure if he felt excited or nervous or both. Carefully, he leaned his ear against the door to hear the conversation between his parents on the other side.

"….take off after that? You scared the shit out of him, and then left like it was nothing!" His Mother seethed. Trunks couldn't help but smirk. She was trying to be quiet, but was failing miserably. As usual. His Father, however, was more aware and he had to really concentrate to hear his response.

"Yes, _dear,_ I'm aware of the events that transpired over the past few hours." Trunks could only imagine the glare his Mother must be giving him for his mocking tone. However terrible, it didn't seem to deter his Father. "I left to clear my mind. Now I've returned and I am going to talk to our son." Trunks stiffened.

"Oh are you now? And what if your _son_ doesn't want to talk to you, huh? What if the way you handled all this has-"

"I have _handled_ this like a Saiyan, something you wouldn't understand, _woman._ As for my son, he will speak with me whether he _wants_ to or not." Bulma rolled her eyes.

"Like a Saiyan? I didn't know Saiyans were such cowards who ran away!" Trunks froze. Was his Mother crazy? She must've been crazy. She was definitely crazy. The only thing more dangerous than mocking his Father to his face was mocking _the entire Saiyan race _in front of him_. _Trunks stood, tense, unsure of what to do. Suddenly he heard a chuckle.

"Don't worry, boy, I'm not going to kill your Mother!" A deep red color formed in Trunks's cheeks and quickly spread throughout his face. On the other side of the door, Vegeta eyed his mate carefully. "Though perhaps I _should._" Turning from her, he reached for the doorknob. "We will discuss your disrespect for my race later, woman." And with that, he barged in.


	14. Vegeta Explains

Awkward. That was how Trunks felt; awkward. The last time he'd seen his Father, supposedly only hours before, he'd completely freaked out and attacked him. Now here he was, and he had _no_ idea what to say. Should he apologize? Was he really sorry? He felt stupid for attacking him, but did he feel bad about it? He wasn't sure. His Father was still standing in the doorway staring at him, his Mother standing anxiously behind him. They just stood there, gawking, and it was just awkward. Finally, his Father broke the silence.

"This is between me and the boy, woman," he said softly. Usually whenever he called his Mother "woman," she would become enraged, screaming that she had a name, and that she thought they were long past that. But this time was different. There was no malice in his Father's voice as he used the term, and his Mother only nodded quietly behind him. She looked at Trunks and gave him a weak smile, her silent way of encouraging him. Trunks couldn't help but smile back. She may have lied to him over the years, but in the end, she really did just want what was best for him. Nodding, she turned and walked away.

Vegeta stared at his son, focusing on keeping his ki in check. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest; he swore Trunks would be able to hear it. Trunks. His son was staring up at him, obvious fear on his face. The anger from before had completely disappeared from his features and he had returned to his normal self. Vegeta shifted uncomfortably, but he was determined to do what he had to do. _For my son,_ he reminded himself. Clearing his throat, he took the plunge, saying the words that he had rarely ever spoken in his life.

"I'm sorry." The look of shock on Trunks's face was obvious; he didn't even try to hide it. Never, in his entire life, had he ever heard his Father say he was sorry for anything. He wasn't sure how to react. Maybe he'd hit his Father too hard…maybe he actually _had_ hurt him, and now there was something wrong…But he knew that wasn't true. There was nothing wrong with his Father. He was completely fine and he really was standing here, _apologizing. _Trunks looked down at his feet, unsure of what to do, before finally muttering,

"It's okay." Vegeta sighed.

"No, Trunks, it's not okay. I….I shouldn't have done that. But I did and I can't change it. So now we have to deal with it." Silence followed. Vegeta looked away, not knowing what else to say. He'd apologized, something he'd sworn back in his first life _never _to do. What more did he want? He pinched the bridge of nose with his fingers, trying not to get irritated. The last thing they needed right now was his temper. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Finally he looked back at his son.

"What do you want me to do?" Trunks looked up, again in surprise. He was asking _him?_ How was he supposed to know? He had _no _idea what they were supposed to do in this situation, his Father was supposed to tell _him _what to do! Vegeta looked away uncomfortably, but continued talking. "If you want me to…leave, then I will. But I shouldn't…assume that that's the case…without asking you." Admitting he was wrong was more difficult than he thought it would be. Thinking the words in his head was a helluva lot easier than saying it out loud. But he was determined to get through it and make things right between him and his son. If that was at all possible. He cleared his throat. "I will not leave your Mother, and I will not stop protecting you, making sure you're alright. But you don't have to see my face anymore if that's what you want. Your Mother thinks you're too young to make this choice." He turned to face his son again, looking him straight in the eye. "But I know you're capable of deciding for yourself what you want."

Trunks stared at his Father. Was he serious? Would he really just…_disappear? _Trunks shook his head. No, he didn't even have to think about it. He was mad at his Dad, and still wanted a lot of answers. But he didn't want him to leave. He'd already experienced early on in his life what it was like to not have a Father. He didn't want to go back to that. He wasn't sure how to say the words he wanted out loud, so he opened up their line of telepathy.

_I don't want you to leave. _

Vegeta took a deep breath, trying to hide the intense relief that washed through him. He nodded silently, cutting off his thoughts from Trunks so he wouldn't hear them. Once again, he wondered how the hell he'd gotten so lucky. Trunks had no reason to want him around. He was a terrible Father, mean and moody, stubborn and rude, and unable to show his true feelings to his son. Trunks had every right to not want anything to do with him. And yet here he was, telling him to stay. It didn't make any sense. But Vegeta let his selfish feelings take over and decided not to question it. His son wanted him to stay, and he was going to do just that. Nodding, Vegeta sighed. Silence filled the room before Trunks uncomfortably scratched the back of his head.

"Uh, Dad, you can um…sit down if you want." Vegeta looked at him, surprised, before nodding and taking the seat out from Trunks's desk. He turned the chair around and straddled it, resting his arms on the back of it. Trunks sat crossed legged on his bed and fidgeted nervously, before continuing.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"About being Majin?" Trunks looked up, confused, and shook his head.

"No, about…about being evil." Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows.

"After everything that's happened tonight, _that's _the question you're going with?" Trunks looked up at him, a hurt expression on his face.

"Well, I mean I was gonna ask other stuff too, I just…I wanted to know, is all," he grumbled. Vegeta couldn't help but smirk. His child could be bizarre as hell sometimes. All that, and the main thing that stuck in his head was that his Father used to be evil. The smirk quickly faded as Vegeta realized he now had to answer him. Why _hadn't _he told him? Because he had been too young? Because it would've scared him? No.

"Because I didn't want you to hate me." Damn, the truth sucked. But there it was, out in the open. Trunks looked at him like he'd suddenly grown an extra head.

"Hate you? Wha—Dad, I couldn't…I mean, I…" He looked away, as uncomfortable with all these emotions as his Father was. "I couldn't hate you," he finally finished. Now Vegeta was genuinely confused.

"Why?" Trunks furrowed his eyebrows.

"_Why?_ Because…you're my Dad." Trunks shrugged. "I mean, yeah, it's like…kinda weird that you used to be evil. And…well I'm still kind of angry that you decided to be Maj..Majo-"

"Majin."

"Majin. But I couldn't like…_hate _you for it. I mean, shit, you're my _Dad._"

"Watch your tongue, boy." Trunks looked up and smiled sheepishly. It was comforting, to hear his Father taking charge and telling him what to do again. He didn't like all this apologizing. Another awkward silence filled the room, neither sure of what to say next. Finally, Trunks decided to say what had been bothering him.

"I'm sorry I hit you." Vegeta looked at his son incredulously.

"Unbelievable," he muttered. Trunks cocked his head to the side.

"Huh?" Vegeta shook his head.

"I deserved it," he muttered. Trunks shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess." Vegeta smirked.

"That's the only time though, kid. Next time you actually manage to hit me, I'm going to destroy you." Trunks smiled to himself. Death threats from his Father were like loving encouragement from others; they were usually his Dad's way of saying "I care about you."

"Yeah, okay, whatever." More uncomfortable silence.

"Dad?"

"Hn?" Trunks shifted nervously.

"Umm…why did you want to be evil again?" Vegeta hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "Are Mom and I…not good enough?" Vegeta thought his heart was going to leap out of his chest. Destructive thoughts flew through his mind as he cursed himself for being such a fucking idiot. "I just…I don't understand." He wasn't crying. He wasn't screaming. He was just asking. He just wanted to know. And Vegeta didn't have an answer for him.

"I…Trunks…" Vegeta sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He owed this to him. He deserved an explanation. Which meant he needed to start at the very beginning. "When I was _evil,_ I was also very powerful. Many people feared me and I liked that. After Namek was destroyed,"

"Namek?"

"Yes, Planet Namek. After I returned from Namek-"

"You went to Namek?" Vegeta frowned.

"_Yes_, I went to Planet Namek to try and use their Dragonballs."

"Ohh, you had a wish!" Vegeta tried not to get irritated.

"Yes…"

"Did you wanna wish for Fre…Fra…"

"Frieza."

"_Frieza_. Did you wanna wish for him to be dead?" Vegeta sighed.

"No, I-"

"Oh, right, the dragon won't kill people, I remember."

"Right, I wante-"

"Did you wanna wish for him to not control you anymore?"

"_No, _I wante-"

"Did you wan-"

"Will you let me finish my damn sentence?" Trunks looked up at his Father sheepishly. He had gotten excited for a second.

"Sorry," he muttered. Vegeta sighed, gathering his control again and calmly continued.

"I went to Namek to use their dragonballs to wish for eternal life." Trunks's eyes lit up.

"Oh, cool! Then you could live forever!" He'd temporarily forgotten his anger with his Father, he was so engrossed in hearing about his past. Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I thought so at the time too, but it's not a good idea, _so don't try it._" Trunks caught the warning in his Father's voice and nodded quickly. Suddenly he realized something.

"So you didn't get your wish? 'Cause if you had, you wouldn't have like…died against Buu." Vegeta shook his head.

"Correct. I didn't get my wish because I, like, died." Trunks blushed at his mockery.

"So you just…came back?" Vegeta sighed. This was exhausting.

"Came back?"

"To Earth."

"I didn't start at Earth, boy." Trunks scratched the back of his head, confused.

"Then where did you start?"

"At Frieza's base."

"Oh…did…he make you try to get the dragonballs?" A dark expression passed over Vegeta's face at the memory of his past life's tormenter.

"No. He wanted them for himself. He, too, wanted eternal life. I wanted to get them before him. I wanted the dragon to grant me my wish so I could destroy Frieza." Trunks stared at his Father in awe. Even when he was "evil", his Father had still had some good in him.

"So…you didn't get your wish. But I'm guessing Frieza didn't either, since he's not around…" Vegeta nodded.

"Correct."

"So you defeated him anyway?!" Vegeta's eyes narrowed.

"No."

"Then…who did?" Vegeta clenched his fists. He couldn't help it. Even after all these years, even though he and the clown were on civil terms, the events that took place back then still pissed him off. Finally, he managed to swallow his pride and admit to it.

"Kakarot." Trunks looked at his Father in shock.

"Oh…well then, where were you?" Vegeta sighed, intense feelings of shame overcoming him. It had been hard enough living through the humiliation of Kakarot beating him. But telling his son was almost worse.

"Frieza…killed me." Trunks's eyes widened in shock. That was how he'd died the first time, then. His Father suddenly looked very sad, as if remembering the whole ordeal was like reliving it. He decided it was best to change subjects quickly; he could ask someone else about his Father dying later.

"So…then you came here from Namek?" Vegeta sighed, remembering he'd been trying to go with this story in the first place.

"Yes. I came to Earth from Namek. That's when I met your Mother, and crazy things happened and we found out about the androids."

"The androids?" Vegeta wanted to scream.

"Yes, Trunks, _the androids. _You know about the androids."

"Yeah, but how did you find out about them?" Vegeta sighed. It was going to be a _long_ night.


	15. Bad to Good

Vegeta hadn't realized that no one had ever told Trunks about the future version of his self. He had only been a baby, so it made sense that he didn't remember it. But he thought surely the woman had told him at some point. All he wanted to do was try to explain to Trunks _why _he had decided that he wanted to be evil again. But instead, it had turned into a fucking history lesson on his life. It was irritating and he was trying to hold back his urge to blast Trunks out the window and go to bed. But he knew he owed this to his son, so he continued.

"After I came to Earth, your brainless Mother decided that I should live with her." Trunks scratched his head.

"Were you still evil?"

"Yes."

"And Mom wanted you to _live_ with her?!"

"Yes, your Mother is a complete imbecile." Trunks knew better than to agree, but inside he couldn't help but think she was crazy. His Father scared the hell out of them _now,_ and he was a good guy! He couldn't _imagine _how scary he must've been when he was evil!

"So I lived with your Mother, because she had food and a gravity room." Trunks smiled. So that was what started their relationship, huh? It was kind of funny, really. And typical, totally typical of his parents. He could almost hear his Mother screaming at him to stop being a jerk and just stay with her, and his Father insisting that it was only out of convenience.

"Is she the one who figured out about the androids?" Vegeta shook his head.

"No…that's when it gets a little…_bizarre._" Trunks raised an eyebrow. Vegeta sighed.

"I'm just going to say this." Trunks waited in anticipation. "A future version of yourself came in a time machine to warn us that the androids would be coming in three years." Trunks stared at him, trying to comprehend the words he'd just said. _He_ came in a…a _time machine?_ As if sensing his confusion, Vegeta continued. "I know it sounds crazy and made up, but that's what happened. In his timeline, the androids came and destroyed everything. And…everyone."

"_Everyone_?"

"Yes, everyone. Scar face, baldy, Kakarot's first spawn, the weird guy with three eyes, the Namek…all of them." Trunks considered that for a moment, before realizing something.

"The Namek?"

"Yes, the green one, with the weird anten-"

"Yeah, I know, but is he like, _from _Namek?" Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Yes."

"Cool!"

"Yes, thrilling."

"But they all died?"

"Hn."

"Even you?"

"Even me."

"And…Goten's Dad?" Vegeta smirked.

"Apparently Kakarot never got a chance to fight them. He caught a deadly heart disease, and it killed him before the Androids ever arrived." Trunks looked at his Dad in shock. What a terrible world to live in. Suddenly he realized he'd forgotten someone.

"Oh! What about Krillin's wife?" Vegeta made a face.

"Uh…well, she was an android."

"What?"

"She was one of the androids."

"So she was evil too!?" _What the hell?_ How had he not known this? Although now that he mentioned it, she was kind of a hard ass. Much like his Father…Yes, he could see the similarities.

"Yes, she was evil. So she didn't die in the future timeline, she was the one killing everyone."

"But I didn't die?"

"No, you were too young when it all happened. You and your Mother survived. She spent years building a time machine, and when you became old enough, you took it to _this _timeline to warn us of the androids." Trunks scratched his head.

"That's confusing."

"Yes."

"Was I born in _this _timeline yet?" Vegeta shook his head. "So you knew you were gonna have me before you even had me?" Vegeta frowned and tried to stop the blush from showing in his cheeks.

"No…I didn't know he was you…I mean…I didn't know that he was my son…until after you had already been born. In this timeline." Trunks was shocked. He had no idea _any _of this had happened! His future self sounded like a _badass! _How cool! A huge grin spread across his face as he leaped off of his bed.

"Aw man, that's so awesome! I sound so cool!" He pretended to punch the air. "I bet I was so strong!" Suddenly he paused. "Wait…why did I come to this timeline, or whatever? Couldn't _I_ beat the Androids?" Vegeta shook his head and Trunks frowned. "Oh," he said, a little deflated. Vegeta allowed himself a small smile, for his present son who was excited about being a strong warrior, and for memories of his future son. Trunks sat back on the bed and looked at his Father. "What was I like?" Vegeta shrugged.

"Just as irritating as you are now," he deadpanned. Trunks rolled his eyes.

"C'mon Dad, really! Was I as strong as _you?_"

"No. But you _were_ very strong."

"Was I taller?" Vegeta had to hold back a smirk.

"Than you are now, yes." Trunks smiled, swinging his legs back and forth off the side of his bed. He wore a genuinely happy expression, and Vegeta was tempted to leave it at that, and go to bed. But he'd made it this far. He might as well continue and get it over with.

"So you're future self warned us of these…toasters." Trunks looked curiously at his Father, but let it go. His Dad always had bizarre nicknames for people. He assumed 'toasters' denoted the androids.

"Right. I warned you. So then…everything was okay?" Vegeta sighed, not really wanting to go into the whole story. It could be really long, if he went into every detail. He decided to just give the main topics.

"Eventually. Everyone trained hard for three years." He sneered. "Of course, no one trained as hard as _I _did." He sat up straighter and Trunks could see his Father suddenly take on his usual proud air. "During that period, I finally ascended and became a Super Saiyan." Trunks's eyes grew wide.

"Whoa, really?" Vegeta nodded.

"Yes, and I destroyed those androids like it was nothing."

"Wow, Dad! So this time, _you_ got to be the one to save everything!" Vegeta grimaced. _No, of course not, _he thought irritably. He shook his head.

"No, there were more of them. Androids 17 and 18 proved to be much more difficult. None of us could defeat them. So we decided to train in the hyperbolic time chamber. It's a special room where-"

"You can spend a whole year in just a _day_!" Vegeta looked at his son inquisitively. "Goten and I trained there when we were preparing to fight Majin Buu!" Vegeta raised an eyebrow. Interesting…

It was Trunks's turn to sit up straight with pride. "I didn't know you had fought there too, Dad! That's _so _cool!" Vegeta shook his head. "Who did you go in there with? You have to go in there with someone else, right? I mean, you didn't want to hog it, right?" Vegeta glared at his son, before relenting,

"I went in with you." Trunks's eyes grew wide.

"With _me?_ Like, future me?"

"Like, future you." This time Trunks's didn't even notice his Father making fun of him. He was too excited.

"That is so awesome! I got to train with you for a whole year _straight! _I bet that was so great!" Vegeta thought back to the year spent with the future version of his son. He wasn't sure 'great' was really the right term. More like awkward. Annoying. Irritating. There had been a few good moments shared. But not until almost six months of being there together. Before that, they'd hardly spoken a word to one another. But his current son didn't have to know that. Trunks was imagining what it would be like to spend an entire year with just his Father. It would probably be really hard and kind of scary at times, but it _had _to be really awesome, too. He smiled to himself, just thinking about it. They totally had to do that one day.

"So, then you were strong enough to defeat them?" Vegeta sighed. Now that he was telling it all as a story, it really was kind of crazy, how everything bad kept happening to them. First, they fought the wrong androids, then they couldn't beat the "right" androids, _then_ Cell came along, then he captured 17 and 18, and then the Cell Games happened. It was kind of ridiculous, really. He shook his head.

"No. Dr. Gero-"

"Who's that?"

"The one who created the androids."

"Oh true." Vegeta blinked.

"What?"

"Oh true."

"Yes, I _heard_ you, but what the hell does that mean?"

"Oh _true._ It's an expression. Like 'oh, of course' or 'oh, got ya.'" Vegeta stared at his son. "It's a cool saying."

"It's ridiculous."

"No Dad, everyone uses it. It's cool, like you understand."

"It's completely absurd. Of course it's _true._ You think I'm telling you lies?" Trunks tried to suppress a giggle. Of course his Father didn't get it.

"Never mind, Dad. So Dr. Jaru-"

"Gero_._"

"Dr. _Gero_ created the androids?" Vegeta sighed for the thousandth time that night.

"Yes. And we thought that was all. But it turns out he'd created another toaster, the biggest bastard of them all." Trunks raised an eyebrow. Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "I'm allowed to use that word, boy."

"How come I can't, but _you_ can?" Trunks whined.

"Because I _said_ so," Vegeta said dangerously. His son frowned irritably, but gave in.

"Yeah, okay," he grumbled. Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose for the third time that night. This was going on forever and he was beginning to get tired. Physically, he could push himself forever, but mentally, this conversation was really starting to wear on him. But he forced himself to continue.

"Dr. Gero also created a monster named Cell. Cell was supposed to absorb androids 17 and 18, and transform into his final form." Vegeta sighed at the memory. "He was…_extremely_ powerful. More so than anything we'd ever faced before. I couldn't beat him, and neither could Kakarot." Trunks looked at his Father, suddenly completely immersed in the story again. He was trying not to show his doubt. _Obviously _something had happened, someone had pulled through. But still, it didn't sound good. He and Goten's fathers were the two strongest warriors in the universe. If _they_ couldn't defeat this Cell guy, who could? As if reading his mind, Vegeta sighed.

"Kakarot's eldest son." Trunks gasped.

"_Gohan!?_" Vegeta nodded. "Passive, peaceful, _nerdy_ Gohan?" Vegeta smirked.

"Yes. He was once much more powerful than he is now. Times of peace before Buu came left him soft and weak. But before, he was…" He didn't finish his sentence, but Trunks got the picture. How bizarre. He'd always made fun of Gohan. Maybe he owed him a little more respect that he'd realized.

"Wow…so Gohan beat this Cell guy. And then what?"

"And then nothing. You got older, things were peaceful, we went to the tournament, you kicked mini Kakarot's ass," Trunks couldn't help but smirk at that. "And then Majin Buu." Trunks looked down at his feet, unsure of how to ask yet another question burning inside of him.

"Dad?"

"Hn?"

"Were you…um, were you still...evil then? When you fought against Cell?"

"I…" Vegeta hesitated. He still wasn't sure what to say, or how to say it. His entire life, he'd always been overly meticulous about what came out of his mouth. Being under the rule of a crazy tyrant will do that to you. But this time, he was going to have to come up with this as he went. He sighed, frustrated. After all the battles he'd faced and all the enemies he'd beaten in his three lives, _this _was one of the scariest things he'd ever done. Though he'd never admit it to Trunks, or anyone for that matter, he was still afraid that Trunks would hate him. But he continued on regardless.

"Supposedly…no." Trunks's looked up, a bit surprised.

"Really? Well…why supposedly?" Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose, reminding himself to be calm. They were nearing the end now, nearing the reason that everything happened the way that it had. He only had to remain composed for a _little_ longer, and then he could go to bed…

"I didn't go into the initial battle intending to be "_good_." But by the time I came out of it…" he sighed. "I suppose I was." Trunks smiled.

"What changed your mind?" Vegeta looked away, a little embarrassed.

"You did," he mumbled. Trunks's eyes grew wide in shock.

"_Me?_" Vegeta shifted uncomfortably.

"The future version of you, yes."

"_Why,_ Dad? What happened?"

"He…you…died." Trunks's eyes were now the size of saucers, his small mouth hanging open. He sat there for a few moments trying to take it all in, before finally squeaking,

"And that…changed your mind?" Vegeta groaned. This was too emotionally involved for him, too freaking sentimental. He hated talking about this kind of stuff, _hated_ admitting to all of it. But this was his son, his only son. His son, who had forgiven him even though he didn't understand. His son, whom he was going to treat like the fucking prince that he was, the prince that _he_ had never gotten to be. He hated this stuff, but he was going to endure it. For his son.

"Yes," he continued. "That changed my mind. When I saw…you, or him, _whatever._ When I saw the future Trunks die, I…" He closed his eyes, remembering that day. "I don't know, something just…_snapped._ I realized that you were _my_ son, my only son. And that monster, he had…he had killed you. And I…it…" he trailed off, unable to say the words out loud. Copying his son, he decided to say the hard things telepathically.

_It changed me._


	16. The Reason Why

_Sorry this one's a little shorter! Thank you so much to all of you for your reviews, they really mean a lot to me! I'm excited that people seem to be liking the story! ^_^ Vegeta and Trunks are my two favorite characters, so it's a real treat to get to write them together. :) Anyways, thank you so much for everything! Please continue to be awesome. :) _

_~Neth_

* * *

Trunks stared at his Father, trying really hard to keep his tears in his eyes. He…well, the future version of himself, had died, and that freaked his Father out. Just like…when his _Dad_ had died, it had freaked _him_ out. He couldn't help but notice the parallel situation. For once, he actually knew _exactly_ how his Father felt. He knew what it felt like to lose someone you cared about so much. Someone that you had just taken for granted. It sucked. And to think, _that _was what had changed his Father… All he could do was nod silently. Moments of silence passed again as he took it all in, before his Father finally continued.

"Trunks…" His son lifted his eyes so that he was looking directly at his Father. Everything was serious again, and he remembered the reason they were there in the first place. Everything that had happened in the gravity room was suddenly clear in his mind. His Father had allowed an evil wizard to take over his mind, so he could be more powerful. He'd forgotten about him and his Mom, so that he could be evil again. Trunks had reacted in a complete rage. He still couldn't believe he had freaked out and actually _attacked _his Father over it. He was a lot calmer now, but he was still pretty upset. It had been fun, listening to stories of his Father's past. But it was over now. It was time to talk about the real issue. It was time to hear the truth.

Vegeta sighed, exhaustion pulling at his mind. He stood up and began to pace. The words he was about to speak, he had never spoken to anyone, not even Bulma. He knew that she understood everything that he was about to explain. But still, the words had never actually left his mouth. His heart was pounding in his chest and his mouth was starting to feel dry. He had really messed up. And while he had finally gotten up the courage to tell his son, the fear of his disapproval still weighed heavy in Vegeta's heart. But Trunks deserved this, he deserved to know. It was time to end this and let what was going to be, be. It was time to tell his son the truth.

"When we were fighting on Babidi's ship…when he was trying to take over my mind, he told me he could give me _power. _He told me he could give me back everything that I'd had before. Before I had a family, before I even came to this stupid planet. I had spent my whole life trying to become stronger so that I could one day destroy Frieza and become the Saiyan King I was always meant to be. I would become the legendary Super Saiyan, and destroy the disgusting lizard I'd been forced to serve my entire life. But instead, that buffoon Kakarot beat him, while I lay buried in the fucking ground. When I returned from Namek, I was…_lost_. I had nowhere to go. I didn't have a home, friends, a family, nothing. I had nothing to strive for, nothing to…_live _for. My single purpose in life had been stolen from me by that third class clown. I was just there, living aimlessly, with no idea what to do or where to go. But when we heard about the androids, _finally_ I had purpose again. I trained hard, became a Super Saiyan, and pushed myself past my limits. Everything was finally going the way it was supposed to. But when the future you died, I realized that there was more to life than just being the best. It didn't matter, in the end, whether I was stronger or not. I had you and your Mother. I finally had…people. Who seemed to actually care about me." He sighed, realizing what a fool he'd truly been. How the hell could anything have _ever_ convinced him to give up what he had here?

"I had no intention of sticking around to help raise you before the androids came, Trunks. But after everything with Cell, I changed my mind. Life went on, and it was actually peaceful. I still trained, knowing that peace never lasts. And I still carried some of the shame from my past. But I began to accept that this was how my life was going to be. And then suddenly there was all this shit about Buu. And we had to go and fight Babidi. And he was in my head, telling me all these things, about the _power_ I'd been missing. And I thought I could redeem myself, could take back the pride that Kakarot had stolen from me! I…I wasn't even thinking about you, truly." He hung his head in shame. "I was a fool. I was selfish and reckless and stupid. But I seemed to be so inadequate at everything I did. I didn't know how to be a Father. I never really had one. And I didn't know how to treat your Mother. My Father sure as hell didn't treat _my_ Mother well. I didn't know how to deal with _peace._ I'd never had it. But _power…_being evil…I _knew_ about that. I knew how to handle that. So I convinced myself that _that _was better. And I gave in. I let him take over. I fucked up." He shook his head, shame coursing through him.

"I realized it during my fight with Kakarot, but I was too stubborn to admit to it. I thought I could beat Buu on my own, and it wouldn't matter. But I couldn't. He was too powerful. I'd betrayed you and your Mother, betrayed the only thing I had going for me. That's when I realized that sacrificing my life was worth it, if it meant I could save the two of you. It was all in vain, in the end, but…" His voice trailed off, his mind finally spent. There it was, all of it. The truth, the whole fucking truth. Never had honesty been so difficult, never had pain and shame been so deep in his bones. But there it was. And so he waited, waited for what his son would say.

It only took about two seconds.

Suddenly Trunks was on top of him, his arms locked around Vegeta's neck, his legs tight around his chest, his face buried in his shoulder. He squeezed him as tightly as he could, as if he would disappear if he didn't. He didn't cry, he didn't scream, he just hugged him. His Father was _the _bravest man in the entire universe. He had been through so much. How could anyone go through so much? True, he had messed up. And Trunks was still hurt by it. But it was okay. People made mistakes, and it was okay. Unsure of what to say, he just kept hugging him. After a few moments, Vegeta finally put his arms around his son, returning the hug, despite the fact that he was fighting the urge to shove him off and tell him not to embrace him. He didn't deserve this! He didn't deserve his family's love. He didn't deserve the tender heart of his son. He didn't deserve compassion and sympathy. And he certainly didn't deserve the words that his son whispered to him.

"I forgive you."

Had he not been holding Trunks, surely he would have passed out in shock. His life of suffering and torment, of evil and hatred, did not deserve this mercy. And yet, here he was. Had the gods heard him? Had they really heard his pleas all those moons ago? Had they heard his anguish in those dark nights, so long ago? In all his years, he never would have guessed that his redemption would be packaged in such a small boy. And yet here he was, being changed once more, by his son. Time seemed to stop as Father and son stood there, before Vegeta gently put Trunks on the floor. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, not sure what to say next.

"It's…it's getting late. You should go to bed." He shook his head. "You _need_ to go to bed." Trunks nodded, a small smile on his face. _You're welcome,_ he thought, knowing how difficult it was for his Father to express gratitude. He climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to his chin, his body rejoicing as he did so. He was completely exhausted. Vegeta turned to walk out the door.

"Dad?"

"Hn?"

"I love you." Vegeta looked at his son in awe. He didn't deserve this mercy, this compassion, this love. But his son was giving it to him anyway. He allowed a small smile to grace his features as he nodded. He turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him. He dragged himself down the long hallway, his body demanding sleep, and quietly opened the door to his bedroom. Bulma lay fast asleep on their bed, having passed out while waiting for them. Vegeta shook his head. He was certain she'd tried to stay up later, but to no avail. Quietly, he got into bed next to her, not bothering to remove his clothes. He shut his eyes and felt for his son's fading ki, as he neared sleep. He opened their telepathic lines of communication, a small smile on his face.

_I love you too._


	17. Escape

_Thank you so much to everyone for the reviews! I got a lot pretty quickly on the last chapter! Makes me really happy. :D I hope you all like the direction I'm taking this story! I'm doing my best! Please continue to review and let me know. You all are awesome! Enjoy. :)_

_~Neth_

* * *

Trunks stared at his ceiling, contemplating everything that had happened in the past month. Everything with Buu was beginning to feel like some hellish nightmare. And everything with his Father...It had only been a few days since their conversation, but things were a still a little awkward. They had all slept well into the next day and lounged around for the rest of it. Even his Dad laid around and watched TV, something he usually deemed a waste of time. Trunks frowned. His Father had seemed sad lately, almost depressed. He hadn't trained in the past week, which rarely happened, and it was starting to worry Trunks.

He laid on his back and watched his ceiling fan spin round and round. He could sense his Father in the living room, sitting on the couch. Trunks sighed. What more did his Dad want? He had forgiven him. Sure, he was still frustrated and confused about a lot of things. But he tried not to show it around his Dad. He had found that the answers to his questions had only opened doors to thousands of new questions. They were constantly spilling into his mind and he had to push them away. _Another day_ he would think. But that day didn't seem to be coming any time soon. Why was his Father so…sad? Did telling him the truth really make him that upset? But he had forgiven him…Wasn't that enough?

Trunks groaned irritably. Things were supposed to go back to normal now, but that didn't seem to be happening. Things were anything but normal. His Father never trained and seemed to spend the past week almost sulking, walking around in a haze. And his Mother was even worse. She didn't work on a single project, and seemed to constantly be preoccupied by his Father. She was constantly asking him if he was feeling okay, if he wanted more to drink, if he needed to go take a nap. Of course her constant nagging provoked his Father. He would respond with some biting remark, sending his Mother on crazy tirades. _That_ was normal. What wasn't normal was how quickly she got over them, and how she didn't seem to want to take it out on him.

Usually whenever his parents fought, his Dad would say something mean, and his Mom would scream at him until he either got angry enough to scream back, or give in to make her shut up. But lately she had just been stomping up the stairs and muttering angrily to herself. Or worse, she took it out on _him. _As if on cue, he felt her energy move towards the stairs. Moments later she was stomping up them, and screaming for him.

"Trunks! _Trunks! _Trunks Vegeta Briefs, get downstairs right _now_!" he groaned. What had he done _this _time? All he'd done all day was lay there and stare at his damn ceiling fan. He sighed. He was not in the mood to deal with her cranky, nagging self. She was nearing his door. Quickly, he stood up and jumped out the window, taking to the sky. He knew he would pay for it later, but he _had _to get somewhere quiet so he could think. His sharp Saiyan hearing could still hear her screaming behind him as he flew off.

* * *

Vegeta flinched as he felt his son fly away from their house. Bulma was going to freak the fuck out. Sure enough, moments later he heard her stomping down the stairs, cursing under her breath. He closed his eyes, hoping she would think he'd fallen asleep on the couch. No such luck.

"Where the _hell_ is your son?" Vegeta sighed. He had a choice, and either way, he was screwed. If he told the woman Trunks had just flown off, most likely to evade her incessant bitching over _nothing,_ she'd yell at him for not going after him. But if he acted like he didn't know where he was, she would go on ranting about it and screaming all over the house trying to find him. Possibly for hours. He couldn't win. Suddenly he was brought out of his thoughts. "And don't even _try _to pretend like you don't know where he is! I know your weirdo Saiyan-spidey senses can _tell _where he is!" Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows. Damn.

"Saiyan what?"

"Ugh, never mind! Just tell me where the hell Trunks is!" Vegeta sighed.

"Woman, he didn't even do anything wrong."

"Vegeta, that son of yours has been laying around all afternoon doing _nothing! _He hasn't done any chores or helped around the house or _anything _since you had your little talk with him!" Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Neither have _you,_ woman." Wrong thing to say.

"Well I don't see _you_ jumping up to do a damn thing either, _mister!_ You're both lazy, ungrateful _boys! _You've been laying around the house for a whole week, and I'm _sick_ of it! Now tell me where Trunks is!" Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, resisting the urge to cover his ears.

"He flew out the window," he deadpanned. Bulma's eyes grew wide.

"_WHAT?!_"

It only took a few minutes for Trunks to realize he had no idea where he was going. All he had been thinking about was getting away from his Mother. And based on the fact that his Father hadn't come after him, he probably wished he could do the same thing. Now he was a good ways away, but had no idea where to go. Master Roshi's? He _could_ stop by and see everyone there. It would be good to see them all again. And none of them would tell his parents, except maybe Krillin. But he could totally take Krilin! But then Marron would want to play with him. He frowned. Never had he heard such an annoying, high pitched voice. He shook his head. No, Master Roshi's was out.

He _could_ go to the lookout, but it was just…boring there. Dende was really nice, but he was always distracted, watching over the planet or whatever. And Mr. Popo just creeped him out. There was a chance Piccolo would be there, but he wouldn't be any fun either. He would just sit there and meditate, maybe pausing to lecture him about _not _eating all of their food. He scowled. Now that he thought about it, Piccolo would probably call his parents. Or at least telepathically tell his Father to come get him. No, the lookout wasn't a good idea either.

His body was naturally taking him in the direction of Goten's house. But Goten wasn't there. He was on a week fishing trip with his Father. Some kind of Father-Son bonding thing. Trunks grunted. It was weird that they had laid out an entire week specific for bonding time. He never did that with _his _Dad. Training was their "bonding" time. And as far as he was concerned, that was _definitely _superior to fishing. Suddenly he felt an energy flying perpendicular to him. He looked up in surprise when he realized it was Gohan. What was he doing out here? Trunks sped up to catch him. By the time he had, Gohan was suspended in the sky, waiting for him.

"Hey, Trunks!" he called, waving. Trunks waved back as he continued towards him. When he had reached him, Gohan smiled. "What's up?" Suddenly he furrowed his eyebrows. "Is everything okay?" Trunks nodded.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just, er…going to meet Goten!" he lied. Gohan was kind of a goody goody. Whether he'd been the one to beat Cell or not, Trunks had a feeling that if he knew he was running away, he'd call his Mom. He hoped he wouldn't know he was lying.

Gohan smiled. He knew Trunks knew Goten wasn't there. He wondered which of his parents he was trying to get away from. He chuckled to himself. He knew he should probably call Bulma, but he also knew that no matter where Trunks went, Vegeta was aware of it. Vegeta was probably already aware that he'd met up with his son. And if Vegeta was cool with it, then so was he. Bulma could be a lot to handle. But when it came to his son, Vegeta could actually kill him so…he was gonna go with him.

"Aww, I'm sorry Trunks, Goten's actually not home." Trunks feigned surprise.

"What? Why not, where is he?" Gohan had to hold in a chuckle. Trunks was actually a pretty good liar. He wondered which parent had given him _that _trait. Suddenly Vegeta's stoic features and unfeeling eyes flashed in his mind. Yeah, he was pretty sure he knew the answer to that.

"Goten went fishing with my Dad." Trunks sighed, putting his best disappointed face on.

"Aw man, that's lame. Well what are _you _up to, Gohan?" Gohan shook his head, once more holding in his laughter.

"I'm just on my way back from school. I was going to go down to _George's_ and get a burger." He took one look at Trunks's hopeful eyes and smiled. "Would you like to join me?" Trunks's whole face lit up for a split second, but he quickly reined it in. Crossing his arms over his chest, he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. That'd be cool." Gohan smiled. He was so much like Vegeta sometimes it was scary.

"Awesome, let's go!" They took off into the sky together. Gohan wondered what had happened to make Trunks leave Capsule Corp in the first place. Was he trying to run away for a while? Or just trying to get away for the afternoon? Maybe his parents were fighting again. Or…was it Vegeta? Had they gotten in a fight? Had Vegeta told him about being Majin? He shook his head. He highly doubted that. He knew it wasn't something the Saiyan Prince was proud of. There was no way he would share that with his son. Maybe it was his Mother. He tried not to snicker. Bulma could be a loose cannon sometimes. Yes, that had to be it. Gohan smiled.

"You know," he called over the wind. "When I was a kid, I just had to get away from _my_ Mom sometimes too." Trunks stopped dead in his tracks, a look of intense suspicion on his face. Gohan smiled and scratched the back of his head innocently. "C'mon, I'm not gonna tell her! I just…I mean, I know what you're going through." Trunks shrugged.

"It's not that bad or anything. She just wants to yell at me for stupid stuff, I guess." Gohan nodded. He really did understand. The only person that yelled more than Bulma was his Mother. Trunks looked uncomfortable as he waited for his response. Yes, royal Saiyan blood was definitely running through his veins. His pride seemed to grow by the second, and even though he was only eight, he held himself with an aura beyond his years. There was no way in hell he was going to let on that he wanted to talk to Gohan about it. Gohan grinned.

"Come on. We can talk about it while we eat." Trunks smiled and nodded. As they took off again, Gohan opened his telepathic line with Vegeta.

_Trunks is with me. _Gohan wasn't surprised by the older Saiyan's response.

_I know that, idiot. _

_Just wanted to make sure._

_Hn._

_We're going to get burgers. I'll bring him back later._

_Whatever._

_See you later, Vegeta!_

Vegeta grunted, secretly jealous of his son. Bulma hadn't stopped yelling at him for fifteen minutes straight. _You owe me one, boy. _


	18. Demi-Saiyan to Demi-Saiyan

Gohan smiled at Trunks as he looked at the food before them. The first time he had gone to _George's_, the waitress, whom he later learned was named Patty, had looked at him like he was crazy when he ordered thirty five burgers. But over time, she had gotten used to his unnaturally large appetite, and they'd even developed a weird kind of friendship. So when he and Trunks had waltzed in and casually ordered seventy burgers, it wasn't a huge deal. They were currently about half way through the food stacked before them, when Gohan had paused for a break. Trunks was still tearing through the burgers, trying to fill his Saiyan appetite. Gohan quickly rejoined him, aware of the fact that Trunks would happily eat his share if he didn't get to it in time.

Thirty minutes later, and they were both happily full, sitting at their booth with content smiles on their faces. Patty had cleared all the trash from the table for them, and brought them extra drinks, on the house. Gohan had always suspected that she had a small crush on him, and seeing him with an adorable, equally as hungry, eight year old boy probably only heightened his appeal. He blushed, thinking that way about himself, but brushed it off. Leaning back in his seat, Gohan let his arms casually rest behind his head and sighed.

"So," he said, a relaxed smile on his face. "What's new?" Trunks sighed. He knew this was coming, but typical Gohan had to ask it in a non direct way. Not knowing what to say, Trunks just shrugged. Gohan's smile grew wider. Sometimes when he talked to Trunks, it felt like he was talking to a mini Vegeta who just happened to have periwinkle hair. It was so obvious that he wanted to talk about what was going on, but instead of doing so, he insisted on being stubborn and pretending like he was indifferent. _No eight year old should have that big of a pride, _he thought amusingly. If they were going to have this conversation, it looked like he was going to have to ask him directly. Gohan preferred easing into these kinds of conversations, but it didn't look like he had much of a choice. He hoped he wasn't being nosey, but he really wanted to know what was going on, and more importantly, try to help Trunks, since it was obviously bothering him.

Nodding to himself, Gohan continued. "Bulma being…well, Bulma lately?" Trunks shrugged again. Gohan's smiled faltered for a second. This was going to be more difficult than he thought. Leaning forward, he put his head in his hands and looked Trunks in the eye. "Do you want to talk about it?" Trunks paused for a moment, before looking away and shrugging. Gohan furrowed his eyebrows. _Yeah, definitely Vegeta's son. _But he wasn't going to let Trunks's obstinacy deter him. "'Cause I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to or anything. But you know…you can if you want to. I won't tell anyone or anything," he added with a smile. Trunks sighed. Gohan was annoyingly persistent.

"I don't know, Gohan," he said shrugging. "Things have just been a little tense I guess." Gohan waited patiently. Sensing that he wanted him to go on, Trunks uncomfortably continued. "Mom's just been yelling at me a lot. I mean she always yells a lot, but it's worse now 'cause she's not yelling at Dad I guess." Gohan cocked his head to the side.

"Bulma's not yelling at Vegeta?" Trunks couldn't help but let a small smile grace his lips.

"Weird, right?" Gohan nodded curiously.

"Any particular reason why?" Trunks shrugged again, his way of clinging to the lie he told himself that he was indifferent to the situation.

"I guess she's worried about him." Gohan scratched the back of his head.

"Why would she be worried about him?" Trunks let his shoulders rise towards his ears, and fall down again tiredly.

"I guess since he hasn't been training." Gohan's eyes grew wide.

"_What?" _For the first time since he'd seen Trunks earlier that morning, he was genuinely concerned. He had figured Bulma was just being unusually bossy lately and that Trunks would just need someone to vent to. But if Vegeta wasn't training, something had to be seriously wrong. There was no other explanation. "Is…is he sick?" Trunks frowned. He hadn't thought of that.

"I…I don't know. He seems okay. Just like…I mean he's just been sad and stuff ever since…" Trunks snapped his mouth shut, realizing he'd said too much.

"Since what, Trunks?" Gohan asked gently. He didn't want to push, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't intrigued. Sighing, Trunks let his head slip into his hands. His Dad would be pissed off if he knew he told Gohan about their conversation. But on the other hand, there was a good chance Gohan already knew most of it. Suddenly he lifted his head up and looked at Gohan. Actually…he probably _did_ know most of it. How old was Gohan? He had been there for Cell…hell, according to his Father, he had _defeated _Cell. What else had he been there for? Trunks stared at the other demi-saiyan for a while, before finally speaking.

"Dad told me he used to be evil," he said softly, but directly. His expression was set and serious, and his eyes didn't waver as he spoke the words. Gohan had to resist a shiver at the uncanny similarities between Father and son. The way Trunks said such difficult words so emotionlessly and directly, as if he were daring Gohan to mention that it might bother him, was so much like Vegeta it was scary. Gohan inhaled. It was surprising that Vegeta had finally told Trunks of his less than innocent past, but he had figured it would happen eventually. Trunks was bound to get curious and ask questions with time, and he had suspected that Vegeta would have to own up about his past sooner or later. But he had assumed it would have been when Trunks was in his teens, not when he was only eight. But then again, in light of everything that had happened with Buu, maybe it wasn't so surprising.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly. Trunks furrowed his eyebrows before crossing his arms and looking away.

"I'm fine," he muttered. Gohan smiled sympathetically before nodding.

"So Vegeta hasn't trained since he told you?" Trunks shook his head, keeping his eyes averted from Gohan. Again, Gohan nodded. "Well, I suppose that makes sense." Trunks let his eyes slowly slide in Gohan's direction. Gohan nodded at Trunks's unspoken question. "Yeah, I mean…" he leaned back as he had been before. "I'm sure it wasn't easy for Vegeta to tell you that, although he'd probably never admit it. I mean…why do you think he hadn't told you before this?" Gohan paused to let Trunks mull over that thought, before continuing. "Did he…go into detail?" Trunks sighed, finally surrendering himself to the conversation. Gohan had brought up a good point. Maybe he really could help.

"Kind of. I mean…he sort of told me what had happened. But he didn't go into details about like…I mean, what he did to…people or anything." Gohan nodded.

"Well. Vegeta probably wouldn't like it, but…if you have any questions, I can try to help. I've known Vegeta as long as he's been on Earth. I don't know about when he was under Frieza's rule or anything. But I pretty much know his story starting when he first came to Earth." Trunks nodded.

"Yeah, after Namek." Gohan froze. So Vegeta _hadn't_ told him everything. He scratched the back of his head nervously. Now what? Should he tell Trunks about the first time his Father came to Earth, and why? Or should he leave it be and let Vegeta deal with it? He had decided on the latter, mostly for his and Trunks's safety, but Trunks had already caught on. He furrowed his eyebrows. "_Right?_ When he came to Namek…that was the first time he ever came to Earth, right, Gohan?" Gohan sighed. He was getting into dangerous territory, but he really didn't want to lie to Trunks. Finally, he shook his head.

"No, Trunks. That was not the first time Vegeta came to Earth." Trunks sighed, frustrated.

"So I _still _don't know everything." Gohan tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"Trunks, I don't think anyone knows everything about your Dad. Not even Bulma." Trunks raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You don't think so?" Gohan shook his head. Trunks's stomach sank. "So he's still lying to her, too." Gohan looked up in surprise.

"No, Trunks. I'm sure he's told her everything she needs to know. He's not keeping the other stuff from her to lie to her. He's protecting her." Trunks looked at him, confused. "Trunks, I'm not sure what all Vegeta's told you, but…his life has been…hard. _Really _hard. Harder than anyone's life should ever have to be. He's been through and seen things that no one should ever have to. He's literally endured hell. There are some things…probably _many_ things…that he hasn't told anyone because it's very painful for him." Trunks nodded, but didn't look convinced. Gohan crossed his arms.

"Okay. Think about everything that happened with Buu." Trunks looked surprised, but nodded. "Was that easy? Was it easy to watch him destroy Earth? Was it easy knowing that we gave everything we had, and still weren't enough to defeat him? Was it easy…when you found out that he'd killed Vegeta?" Trunks frowned, unable to hold back a shudder. He shook his head. Gohan continued. "No, of course it wasn't. It was really difficult. So if you had to tell someone that story, someone who didn't know about any of it, wouldn't you leave some of it out?" Trunks considered that. "You may tell the basic facts so that they would know the gist of what happened. But it was a painful experience for you…so wouldn't you find it unnecessary to revisit those details? Because some of that stuff…does it really matter to the story? Or would it just cause you more pain, reliving it through telling it?"

Trunks's eyes grew wide as realization hit him. Gohan sat in silence for a few moments, letting Trunks digest everything he'd just told him. Trunks could be so mature for his age sometimes, but the truth was, he really was still a kid. He still needed help figuring out some of these things. And this time, Gohan could be the one to help him. He just hoped Vegeta wouldn't kill him for it.


	19. Gohan's Perspective

Gohan looked at the young boy sitting before him. He was so young, and yet he already knew so much, something Gohan could relate to. He had been forced to grow up pretty quick himself, quicker than Trunks in some ways. He understood the confusion and frustration that was coursing through Trunks after everything that had happened with Buu. But unlike himself, Trunks would have someone to talk to. Gohan had watched the young demi-saiyan grow up, running around with his little brother, but he had never really felt close to Trunks until now. He was so much like his parents it was scary. He had a huge pride and tried his best, despite his age, to act like he didn't have a range of emotions, just like his Father. But he was also kind and caring, openly showing consideration to Goten and how sensitive he was on a daily basis. Just like his Mother. And he was stubborn as hell, like both Vegeta _and_ Bulma. Yes, he was just like his parents. And because of that, Gohan had always assumed that they didn't have much in common. But as he was sitting there, in the middle of _George's,_ he realized he had been wrong.

Trunks had spent the first few years of his life without a Father. Even when Vegeta was physically present, in the beginning, he wasn't there for his son. He pushed him to train, and Trunks jumped at the chance, knowing it was the only opportunity for him to spend time with his Father. At the time, Gohan had thought poorly of Vegeta. But now he was suddenly realizing that it wasn't too different from his own Father. Goku had a much softer exterior than Vegeta. But most of the time Gohan had spent with his Father growing up, was through training. And how many years of his life had he spent with his Father gone? After Namek, after Cell…years and years. No, his Dad wasn't _that_ different from Vegeta in the end. He realized that he just, conveniently, hadn't realized it. Until now.

"Gohan?" Gohan was pulled out of his thoughts. Shaking his head, he smiled.

"Sorry, Trunks. I was just…thinking about something. What did you say?" Trunks looked down at the table before repeating his question.

"When did my Dad come to Earth for the first time?" Gohan nodded, knowing this question had been coming.

"Well, Trunks…the first time your Dad ever came to Earth, I was five years old." Trunks's eyes grew wide.

"That's younger than I am!" Gohan smiled sadly and nodded.

"Yeahhh. I was pretty young. Well anyway, your Dad came to Earth with another Saiyan, because Frieza told them to destroy it." Trunks cocked his head to the side.

"Another Saiyan?"

"Yep!"

"But I thought that Frieza guy killed all the Saiyans." Gohan nodded.

"Well, he did, all of them but four." Trunks furrowed his eyebrows and began counting on his fingers.

"My Dad, your Dad, this other guy…" he held up four fingers to Gohan. "Who was the fourth?"

"My Dad's brother, Raditz. I guess…my uncle." Trunks looked at Gohan in surprise.

"You _uncle? _Your Dad had a brother?" Gohan couldn't help but laugh.

"He sure did! He was a jerk though, so no worries."

"What happened to him?" Gohan scratched the back of his head, thinking back to that time. Things had been so different then.

"Piccolo killed him. Frieza sent him to destroy Earth first, before your Dad and Nappa."

"Nappa?"

"Yeah, Nappa was the other Saiyan your Dad came with. So my Dad and Piccolo teamed up and beat Raditz. We thought that was the end of it, but then Vegeta and Nappa came soon after." Gohan smiled. Trunks was staring at him intensely. He had a feeling Trunks had wanted to ask these questions his whole life. He was happy to help him get some answers. "Nappa fought first, and was really tough. None of us could beat him until my Dad showed up. He seemed to do it with no problem! It was pretty amazing, at the time. But then we had to fight your Dad." Gohan grinned. "Man, he was a tough one! It's funny now, but at the time, sheesh, he was terrifying! He was more powerful than anyone I'd ever seen. It took me, my Dad, Krillin, and Yajirobe to beat him." Trunks scrunched up his nose.

"_Yajirobe?_ That fat bastard helped beat my Dad?" Laughter busted out from Gohan before he could stop it.

"That's pretty big language, don't ya think Trunks?" he asked when he'd calmed down. Trunks shrugged nonchalantly.

"My Dad uses that word all the time." Gohan chuckled and nodded.

"Old habits die hard, I suppose. Eh, well, if the worst thing Vegeta does is say bastard around his kid, I think we can agree we've gotten off easy." Trunks smirked and gave a small nod. "Anyway, yeah, Yajirobe helped, but only by cutting off your Dad's tail when he wasn't looking." Trunks furrowed his eyebrows.

"So why didn't you kill them? Why didn't you kill Nappa and Dad, like you killed Raditz?" A sick feeling grew in Gohan's stomach. How was he supposed to answer that? Oh, well your Dad used to be so screwed up, he got pissed off and killed Nappa himself. No, he couldn't do that. He wanted to tell him the truth, but that was too much. "We er…well we killed Nappa, but then we didn't kill your Dad because…my Dad said not to." Trunks looked surprised.

"Why?" Relief washed over him as Trunks took his white lie without question. A smile slowly spread across Gohan's face.

"You know, I have no idea. Honestly, we were all really mad at him for it. We thought for sure Vegeta would come back and kill all of us. But my Dad said not to. Krillin…he was going to. He had Yajirobe's sword. He was going to kill him. But he didn't. I was unconscious at that point. But later, Krillin told me that my Dad said he thought killing Vegeta would be a waste. He said your Dad was so much stronger, that it gave him something to work towards. He wanted the challenge." Gohan chuckled. "Those two…they've always fed off of each other. They've always used the other as inspiration to work harder, to train harder, to fight harder." He shrugged. "I guess it's a Saiyan thing." Trunks looked at Gohan, a genuine expression on his face.

"My Dad doesn't know that." Gohan cocked his head to the side.

"Doesn't know what?"

"That Goku said he was stronger." Gohan smiled.

"You don't think so?" Trunks shook his head.

"It…it makes sense. Dad told me once that he had to beat Kakarot, because he'd hurt his honor. He said he'd only stopped Krillin to humiliate him. I didn't know what he meant then. It was a long time ago, when he first started training me. But I get it now. And I don't think he would've said that, if he'd known." Gohan nodded again, noting to himself how wise beyond his years the eight year old was.

"Maybe you should tell him." Trunks shrugged. Moments passed before Trunks broke the silence.

"So then what happened? After Dad left?"

"Hmm…well, we decided to go to Namek to get the dragonballs to wish back Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu back to life."

"What happened to them?"

"Uh…"

"….did my Dad kill them?"

"Umm, _indirectly,_ yes…" Trunks raised an eyebrow. "Nappa and the Saibermen did."

"Saibermen?"

"Yeah, these creepy little green guys that followed Vegeta's orders."

"So Dad didn't actually kill them himself." Trunks couldn't help but feel relief wash over him. He may have had a hand in killing them, but at least he wasn't the hand that actually did it. Gohan shook his head.

"No, not with his own hands he didn't."

"So that's why you were on Namek."

"Yep!" Gohan flashed a wide smile, attempting to lighten the mood. "Me, Krillin, and Bulma." Trunks's eyes widened.

"My _Mom? _My Mom went to Namek!?" Gohan chuckled.

"Sure did!"

"_Why_ did you _let_ her go?" Trunks asked almost angrily, his eyes shimmering with commandment. Gohan waved his hands in front of him.

"Whoa, hold it there. We didn't know it was going to be that dangerous! We didn't know about Frieza or any of those guys! If we had, we never would've let her go!" He laughed nervously. Trunks nodded slowly, seeming to accept that answer. Gohan scratched the back of his head apprehensively. _Sheesh, defensive much? I don't know which of his parents to blame that on…probably both! _Trunks relaxed and leaned back against the booth seat.

"Sooo Vegeta ended up being there for the dragonballs too." Trunks nodded.

"I know."

"He told you that?"

"Yeah. He told me about Namek and Frieza and all that. And the androids and Cell too." Gohan nodded. Trunks looked down at the table sheepishly. "So uh…you got to meet me? You know, like…future me?" Gohan's grin widened.

"Sure did! You were super cool!" Trunks smirked smugly.

"Well duh." Gohan chuckled, glad the conversation was taking a lighter turn.

"You beat Frieza and were stronger than any of us when you first came!" Trunks raised his eyebrows.

"Wait, what? _I _beat Frieza? Did…did future me go to Namek?" Gohan shook his head and chuckled. Of course Vegeta had decided to leave those details out.

"No. See, Dad thought he'd beaten Frieza on Namek. But he was still alive and came to Earth with his Father! We all thought we were gonna die! But then future you showed up and killed both of them like it was nothin'! You were a Super Saiyan! At that point, only my Dad was a Super Saiyan, so you were way stronger than any of us." Trunks's eyes had grown as wide as saucers.

"Not even my Dad?" Gohan smirked and slightly leaned in towards Trunks.

"Not even your Dad." A few seconds passed in silence, before Trunks leapt up from his seat.

"Aw man, that's so _cool! I _was _stronger_ than my _Dad! _Wow, man, I must've been so powerful!" He started punching the air and dodging an imaginary foe. "I beat Frieza when even Goku couldn't! How freaking cool is that! Wow!" Gohan laughed. He didn't have the heart to tell him that his future self wasn't _nearly_ as strong as the eight year old was currently. He watched him for a few more moments before waving him back to his seat.

"Okay, okay, calm down. Come sit down." He tried to be stern, but the smile never left his face. He was glad to see Trunks so happy. Trunks quickly flew into his seat, a huge smile plastered across his face.

"Was Dad mad?"

"Mad?"

"That I was stronger than him?" A devious smirk crossed over Gohan's face.

"_Furious._"

Never had Gohan seen Trunks smile so wide.


	20. Tenshi-chan

Vegeta pinched the bridge of nose with his fingers, resisting the urge to cover his ears. Or better, blast his mate into the next dimension. Ever since Trunks had left that morning, she'd gone on and on and _on._ As if it was _his _fault that Trunks had left! He shook his head. He loved Bulma, but when she got like this, he could hardly stand it. He had never met someone who could go on and on about absolutely _nothing _for such a long period of time. It was beginning to wear on his nerves. And it didn't help that he had been more stressed lately.

He sighed. He had a lot of pent up anger from the past few weeks. Especially since he hadn't been training. His frown deepened. It hadn't been a conscious decision. After his conversation with Trunks, he hadn't announced to the world that he would never train again. The next day, he had just happened to sleep in later than usual. Much later. And when he had finally gotten up, he just _happened_ to decide that laying around was more satisfying than beating himself into the ground in the gravity room. He hadn't thought it was _that _big of a deal. He _would_ get back to it. Eventually…

"_Hellooo!_" Vegeta blinked and looked up at the woman before him. She was bent over the couch with both hands on her hips, screaming at him. "Are you even _listening _to me!?" Vegeta groaned.

"Oh for kami's sake, woman, that's _enough!_" Bulma's eyes grew wide.

"_Excuse_ me!?"

"You heard me! I am _sick _of listening to your incessant _bitching_ over _nothing! _This is _exactly _why Trunks ran away! And if you don't shut up soon, I'm going to join him!" Satisfied with his outburst, Vegeta leaned against the back of the couch and crossed his arms. He glared at the woman above him, daring her to challenge him. Bulma stared back in shock for a few moments, before standing up straight and letting her arms fall at her sides. Vegeta raised an eyebrow. Not what he'd been expecting. Bulma sighed.

"What am I supposed to do, Vegeta?" she asked softly. Vegeta only stared at her suspiciously. His woman was such an _enigma! _Such a sudden change in demeanor was just _bizarre. _Bulma shook her head. "Everything is falling apart." Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bulma snapped her head around and glared at him.

"What I'm _talking _about, mister, is how our _family _is falling apart at the seams!" Her fury was back. But Vegeta hadn't missed the tears gleaming in her eyes. Cautiously, he rose from the couch, and walked towards her.

"Bulma…"

"No! Don't you _Bulma _me! I am sick and tired of you moping around here all the time, like some lost puppy! Your son forgave you, so you can just _move on! _Go back to the gravity room and train all the time! Train our son!" The tears were beginning to flow now, gently sliding down her face. Her voice faltered, but she didn't stop. "You have to keep _fighting, _you stupid idiot! You have to be _ready_ so when the next Buu comes…" A sob broke from her mouth. "…you'll be _ready. _So you won't…" More sobs erupted from her mouth. "So you won't…" He voice faltered and as her weeping overcame her, she felt herself sink to the ground.

Vegeta was there in an instant, arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her sobbing figure. When he had first come to Earth, Bulma had cried all the time. The smallest, insignificant things would send her over the edge. But once she had Trunks, she did a complete one eighty. Since their son had been born, she hardly ever cried at all. The fact that she was now crumpled on their living room floor, bawling, worried him. He held her close to his chest, gently stroking her hair, until he finally felt her calm down. Her body stopped shaking as hard and her breathing slowed down. She pulled her head from his chest and looked up into his eyes.

"Bulma," he said softly. A single tear found its way down her pale cheek, and he gently wiped it away with his thumb. He leaned forward and let his forehead rest against hers. "What's wrong, tenshi?" he whispered. Bulma sniffled.

"I just…I don't wanna lose you again." Her voice broke as more tears streamed down her cheeks. Vegeta thought his heart was going to explode inside his chest. He really was a complete idiot. He had been so concerned about Trunks, he hadn't even _thought_ about how the whole thing had affected Bulma. Bulma, his beautiful, loving mate; the woman who had been by his side through everything. She was so strong, pushing through everything like she did. She had been so concerned about Trunks and made sure he found closure with everything, even though she needed it herself. But it had finally gotten to her.

"I'm never going to leave you again, Bulma. I thought I was doing the right thing. I wanted you to live your life, to be able to live in peace with our son. But I learned the consequences of my choice quickly. Those few days were hell. Because I was without you." Gently, he pulled her face away from his, and stared into her deep blue eyes. His heart was bursting with an emotion he hadn't felt until late into his second life. Before, he'd always pushed it away, feeling ashamed and weak by its presence. But his third chance was different. This time, he welcomed it, and allowed it to course through him, giving him strength. Bulma gazed back at him, her heart aching. She had tried so hard to hold it together, but it had been too much. Everything from the past month had finally caught up to her and she couldn't hold it back any longer.

"I was devastated, Vegeta. I…I didn't know what to do without you. I thought of having to raise Trunks alone…to not see your beautiful face every day…to never yell at you again…" Vegeta chuckled.

"That was the _real_ reason you were upset." He earned a small smile, but it was quickly lost. She shook her head.

"I was so scared, Vegeta. I didn't know how I was ever going to go on, how I was going to _live_ without you. You're…my partner, my lover. We have a son and we've shared so much. Sometimes we argue, but you're the only person I don't have to worry about breaking. I don't have to worry about if I was too harsh or too loud, or if you'll get fed up and leave. You're always there. You're so loyal, Vegeta. I've never met someone who's as…reliable as you. If I need you, you're there. For me and our son. When I thought that I'd lost that, I felt like the whole world was collapsing around me." Vegeta nodded.

"I was scared too," he admitted softly. "When I thought about never seeing your face again…" he shuddered. "It terrified me. You're my everything. My light, my redemption. You're my tenshi. You saved me. Not being with you…I knew that would be a hell in of itself. It pained me to never see our son again, but you…" He shook his head and gently stroked her face. "I thank the gods every day it was only the few days that it was. That it didn't work and I didn't have to stay there forever, without you. Surely I would have gone mad." He paused, reflecting on what Bulma had said. "I _will _always be there, Bulma. For you and Trunks. Nothing will ever happen to you. No one will ever harm you and no one will ever take you from me. You are mine forever." A sinister smirk crossed his face. "And I do not _share._" A smile spread across Bulma's face. Leaning in, she allowed her lips to meet his in a deep, sensuous kiss.

Suddenly she was in his arms, and they were heading for the stairs. She laughed out loud and flung her arms around his neck. Vegeta smirked and made his way up the stairs, pride filling his chest. Yes, she was his. By the gods, he didn't know how he'd gotten so lucky, how he'd managed to win over such a perfect woman. But he had done it, and he knew better than to question such grace. That brief time without her truly had been a living hell, and it wasn't because he had literally been there. Knowing that he would never see her beautiful face or feel her delicate body ever again had almost been too much to bear. But he was back. It was all behind him now. Grinning, he threw open the door to their bedroom.

Gently laying her on the bed, Vegeta slid his shirt over his head. Climbing on top of her, he began to kiss her all over her body. Her lips, her cheeks, her shoulders, her arms, her head, her nose, her hands, her stomach…he let his lips trace over her perfect body. Finally, he landed back on her lips, and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.

"I love you, Vegeta," she whispered, knowing she would get no response. They had gone on like this for years. But she was okay with it. She knew he loved her. She didn't need him to say it. Vegeta stopped and gazed into her eyes. They were like sapphires, staring up at him, peering into his soul. She was his angel, what had pulled him out of the darkness. She was the opposite of everything he'd endured in his first life. All the cruelty, all the anger, all the suffering…she was none of it. She was kindness, she was peace, she was joy. And she loved him.

"Shiwa roma ni, yemo," he whispered.

She didn't have time to ask him what he what it meant. His lips immediately crashed into hers, and she was lost, lost within his body and his dark, onyx eyes.

But it didn't matter. She knew.

* * *

_Thank you so much to everyone for reviewing! They really keep me going. :) Special shout out to NinjaWhisper for reviewing like every chapter I write! Haha you are awesome! And so is everyone else! I hope you are enjoying where this story is going! Here are a couple notes from this chapter:_

_**tenshi – angel in Japanese. (I wanted Vegeta to have a cute nickname for Bulma, besides woman. :P So there it is! Tenshi or tenshi-chan. ^_^)_

_** Shiwa roma ni yemo – my attempt at Saiyan. :) I kinda used other languages as a base and then just combined and changed things. Sooo basically I made it up. XP Nottt telling what it means, but I bet you can guessss ;)_

_Thanks again, and please continue to review! You all rock!_

_~Neth_


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